Between October 2008 and May 2009, more than 550 flights operated by major airlines were stuck on the tarmac, loaded with passengers, for more than three hours each.
Anyone who has been in a similar situation knows how frustrating it can be.
Often flight attendants insist that passengers remain strapped into their seats, with little or no fresh air, food or water and, occasionally, malfunctioning toilet systems. Inside, cabin temperatures (and tempers) tend to rise.
Congress has heard about it from enough travelers to propose legislation that would require airlines to let passengers off the planes. Airlines have a number of good reasons for not wanting to do so; but tell that to your bladder, your blood pressure, or your baby.
Commercial jets line the runway, waiting to take off.
Continental Airlines fared badly in this report, as did Delta. Some of this is related to where they fly — terrible weather can subject some airlines to greater likelihood of delay than others. But travel rights activists say delay is not the problem; it’s how airlines deal with it.
What You Can Do
If you’d like to avoid being stuck on a hot runway in an aluminum fuselage, then fly by private jet if you can. This way you can avoid the most congested airports altogether. Otherwise, choose one of the best performers with almost no incidence of three-hour delays: Southwest, Hawaiian, and Alaska Airlines.
P.S. Want to register your opinion with Congress? Dial the Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121 and ask for your representative’s office. (Look up your representative here.)
– Peg Prideaux, CTC
081909
