Fliers' Bill of Rights Becomes NY Law

by Jordan Yerman | August 5, 2007 at 10:20 am

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New York Governor Eliot Spitzer signed passengers' bill or rights into law, which outlines just how bad things can get for air travelers before the airlines are held accountable to the state.

"This law establishes much-needed consumer protections that will help guarantee greater passenger safety and comfort when severe delays impact their travels from New York airports," Spitzer said.

When planes have left the gate and been on the tarmac more than three hours, the legislation, which will take effect Jan. 1, requires:

• Electric-generation service for fresh air and lights.

• Removal of waste from holding tanks for onboard restrooms.

• Drinking water, snacks and other refreshments.

Airlines will have to provide passengers with details of the bill of rights and how to file complaints. A new Office of Airline Consumer Advocate within the state Consumer Protection Board will handle complaints and refer violations to the attorney general. The attorney general can seek a civil penalty of up to $1,000 per passenger.

The airline industry lobbied hard against the law, saying situations like what happened Feb. 14 are rare and carriers should be able to respond to such problems as they see fit or risk losing customers.

No airline wants to subject passengers to long delays on tarmacs, but customer service can't be legislated, said David Castelveter, a spokesman for the Air Transport Association trade group.

I don't see this so much as legislating customer service as legislating against customer abuse. When you fly, you put yourself in the hands of the airlines- you are a captive audience, quite literally, and recourse is a nightmare when they muck it up, as seems to be happening more and more often.