For Those Times When You'd Rather Not Eat, Drink, or Breathe

From yesterday's New York Times:

A federal appeals court has rejected a law requiring airlines to provide food, water, clean toilets and fresh air to passengers trapped in a plane delayed on the ground

That could be today's whole post, right there. Does anything else need to be said? It's as if the entire inanity of our topsy-turvy "government of abandonment of its people" is laid out in one twenty-nine word sentence.

Of course, the group the appeals court agreed with is the Air Transport Association of America, an airline industry group. I'm surprised, in this day and age, they're not calling themselves the Defenders of Air Passenger Comfort and Safety Association -- since the trend is toward identifying yourself as exactly the opposite of what you are. And their issue, as litigated, is that no state has the right to impose such a law, only the federal government does. I guess they feel quite confident the federal government intends to do no such thing.

So, if you've got complaints to lodge about the absurdity of the decision -- or the insanity of the industry group that wants to retain its right to bake, starve, and dehydrate its customers -- it seems pretty clear where they should be sent. Let's all pitch in and help them keep the court docket clear:

The Air Transportation Association of American is located at 1301 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Suite 1100, Washington, D.C. 20004. Their Chief Executive Officer is James C. May.

Or, if you prefer, their Vice President of Communications (Media Spokesman) is David A. Castelveter.
Phone: [phone]
Cell: 202-725-8922;
[e-mail].

Hey, it's all on their website in plain view. I just looked it up, copied, and pasted. They're eager to hear from us!

If they're intent on proving that food, water, and air are not matters for the court, but are matters to be sorted between corporations and their customers, then I think we've got a duty to let them know how we feel. Wouldn't you agree?

Comments

[avraamjack]

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Always take your own food on a flight.
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Always take a dozen oranges, they cure both hunger and thirst.
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[jaycg9]

It's getting dangerously close to frequent air travelers taking to the streets (or tarmac, if you will). The airline industry is unapologetic in it's contempt of passengers in favor of keeping the business afloat. How well is this new ruling going to play out the first time two hundred people are stuck in an hours-delayed plane and the crew don't even turn on the air? I know that we are fairly conditioned to hem and haw, bitch and moan but ultimately do what we're told...but there has to be a line. I have some very libertarian leanings, but the air industry is when my inner Democrat comes out. Airlines have proven, over and over for years now, that they are incapable of running a successful business that their customers actually enjoy. It's most definitely time to take that responsibility away from them. A government bureaucracy may end up being no better, but at least we'd be no worse off and government is easier to replace than private business.
I live on one coast, my family lives on the other. I fly several times per year. I'm 6'2" and not rich; I fly coach. You do the measurements.

[jaycg9]

In conclusion, exactly what Mr. BronxGOPer just said in the comment below.

[BronxGOPer]

Personally, I agree that the requirements for the airlines to provide water and fresh air to passengers stuck on the tarmac is extremely reasonable and perhaps the bare minimum that should be expected. But the 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals was right to strike down the law. New York's Passenger Bill of Rights conflicted with a 1978 federal law that prohibits states from regulating airline prices, routes or services. A (constitutional) Federal law trumps a state law every time.

It"s the job of a judge to follow the law, not to do decide what the law should be. The federal law at issue here prevents states from regulating airlines because if that was allowed, there could be different laws in each of the 50 states. That would be confusing, inefficient, and probably lead to higher prices. The proper thing to do here, and something I would recommend, is for Congress to simply pass New York"s law and have it apply nationally.

[ehandler]

No argument here about that. That's why I'm encouraging people to take their complaint to the airlines and their advocacy group - since they're almost certainly the ones pressuring Congress to leave them alone and require nothing from them.

[StephenSmoliar]

Tell them anything you want. Just remember that they have you by the Chuck-Colson-knows-where! As long as you DEPEND on air travel for the ways in which you conduct both business and leisure activities, they know that there is nothing you can do (because they know you are not going to change your life style)! We probably now have a generation with no knowledge of what it was like to travel on a Greyhound Bus, particularly one trying to get out of Manhattan (or, for that matter, out of the Port Authority Bus Station) at the end of Thanksgiving Weekend! This is not to apologize for the airlines but just to point out that these conditions have been around just as long as long-distance travel!

[mandycat]

Actually, these conditions have only been around for the last 15 years or so. There was a time in the memory of living Americans (me, for example) when flying was actually rather pleasant, even back there in coach. Before deregulation air fares were indeed higher when adjusted for inflation. But you were hardly ever bumped, flight cancellations were rare except for weather reasons and you got fed, sometimes rather well. Airline employees actually seemed glad to see you, if you can imagine.

One of my favorite flying experiences was in the mid-1970's. My flight from Atlanta to Los Angeles was cancelled because of mechanical problems. The airline (Delta?) rounded up another plane and a fresh crew to get us on our way less than three hours after scheduled take off. The plane was about one-third full so we all got two or three seats to ourselves. The flight attendants were lavish with food and free drinks for everyone. We had a lot of fun.

Let's picture this same scenerio today. It's hard to work out all the gruesome details but we know "fun" wouldn't be part of it.