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Your
Rights on Flights
You've probably read about
it, maybe even experienced it yourself:
the flight that pulls away from the gate
on time, but then is delayed on the
runway, trapping passengers (who cannot
get off to make alternative arrangements,
and may even be prohibited from using
their cell phones to let others know they
will be late) for hours without adequate
food, water or sanitary services;
passengers with reserved seats and
boarding passes who are bumped from
flights that are overbooked; delays or
cancellations (not caused by weather or
air traffic control) that cause you to
spend an extra night without compensation
for the cost of your hotel and meals;
luggage that is lost for days, requiring
you to spend time and money shopping for
emergency replacements.
Many experts believe that
such problems have gotten worse in recent
months -- and call recent airline
performance problems the worst since
deregulation almost two decades ago.
Spurred in part by February's JetBlue
debacle, proposed legislation has been
introduced in Congress that would require
airlines to:
- Give passengers the
option to leave a plane if it has
been waiting on the runway for
more than three hours, unless the
plane is about to be cleared for
takeoff or ground conditions are
unsafe.
- Disclose which
flights are chronically delayed.
- Improve their
efforts to return all checked
bags within 24 hours.
Even before these bills are
debated in Congressional hearings this
spring, there are a few important tips
you should know about your rights as a
passenger:
If you are involuntarily
bumped from a flight and will
arrive at your final destination between
one and two hours of the original landing
time, you should expect to be compensated
up to $200; if no substitution can be
made, you should receive up to $400.
These amounts are set by the Department
of Transportation. If you volunteer to
give up your seat, there is no required
compensation (but most airlines do
provide it -- be sure to ask about such
payments and know when the next available
flight is, as well as if the airline will
pay for a hotel, ground transportation
and meals if you must stay overnight).
For more details about your options when
your flight is delayed, see the DOT web site.
If your luggage is
lost (about 2% of all misplaced
and mis-routed luggage is ultimately
officially classed as "lost")
on a U.S. domestic flight, the airline is
required to compensate you for the
depreciated value of your property, up to
$3,000 (effective 2/28/07). The rules are
different on international flights. For
more information, visit the DOT web site.
If your luggage is delayed,
there are no requirements, but many
airlines will give you money for
emergency purchases and deliver your bags
to your home or hotel free of charge.
Make sure you ask for these services,
since airlines don't always volunteer
them.
Of course the best course of
action may be to take steps to avoid
airline hassles all together. Here are
some tips that may help:
- Book flights early
in the day. These flights are
less likely to be delayed (later
flights may experience the ripple
effect from ongoing congestion
and delays). Also, if there are
problems, you'll have more
flights to choose from.
- If you must change
plans, consider rebooking over
the telephone rather than at the
ticket counter -- we've found
that we often have more options
that way (but we don't know
why!).
- The best way to
ensure your luggage doesn't get
lost is to limit yourself to
carry-on pieces. If this isn't
possible, be sure to check in
early -- if you miss the check-in
deadline (but make the flight),
the airline is not responsible if
your bag is delayed.
If you do encounter
problems, let someone know! We recommend
writing to the head of the airline as
well as to the Aviation Consumer
Protection Division. You can contact the
ACPD by phone at 202-366-2220 or via
email at airconsumer@ost.dot.gov.
Your complaint should include a brief
description of the problem, as well as
your name, address, phone number, the
name of the airline, the flight date,
flight number, and origination and
destination of your trip. The DOT web
site has additional tips on
how to make your complaint most
effective.
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