Quote:
Originally Posted by AirlinesMustPay
If I was this OP and was made to sit in a cramped aircraft for two hours, I would want to be compensated by at least two or three hundred dollars. One good day when this kind of thing happens, passengers bill or rights or not, a passenger will bring a class action suit claiming false imprisonment in a aircraft for himself and other passengers so imprisoned. Then we will see the US supreme Court deciding what if any kind of award to make.
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Two or three hundred dollars for two hours? What if the flight you are on was a scheduled three to four hour flight? You were going to be on the aircraft anyway. What difference does it make if the aircraft is flying or on the ground? And in my opinion unless you are waiting out the delay in an airline club the terminal isn't much more comfortable than the airplane. At least on the plane if you need to use the lavatory you don't have to drag your carryons with you as they are already stowed!
Lets assume this scenario. A plane boards, pushes away from the gate, requests clearance to taxi and is told that due to an ATC hold they will be there for at least an hour. An hour later they are told perhaps another hour and continue to hold on the ground. After the captain announces the additional hour several passengers demand to be let off. So under the "passenger bill of rights" as long as the demand is made the crew must comply. So they arrange for a gate assignment, taxi to the gate and allow those demanding off to deplane. Five minutes later they are told there's a slot but they must shut the door and push back immediately or they'll lose it. So they secure the cabin, shut the door and take off without the persons who demanded that they be let off.
Now just who, Mr. Attorney, do you think will be yelling at the airport agents that they were left behind and cursing them out when told the next available flight with open seats to their destination is not for two days? You guessed it!
So you see, your honor, it's not such an easy thing to draw a line and say after so many minutes/hours passengers should be given the option of getting off the plane. Every situation is unique and having a law that is cut and dried won't address every situation.