They Sat in the Plane at the Gate for Seven Hours...

[3894]

Sometimes, you just have to wonder at human beings ...

Despite anger and frustration, the passengers stuck overnight Friday aboard a packed 50-seat jet on the tarmac at the Rochester, Minn., airport didn't revolt. They didn't even ask to get off the plane.
"Everybody was tired and wiped out, and nobody spoke up," says Link Christin, a passenger who says he felt "imprisoned" for 5½ hours on Continental Express Flight 2816. "I wish I would have been cogent enough to go to a flight attendant and say we need to go into the terminal for chairs, light, food and drink."

Source is here. There's a short sidebar video at the link from another flight that sat on the tarmac with no air. Infants, old people, hours, summer heat, no air. Can't wait to see it, right?

[Stan4dSteph]

I've been on Continental Express planes (that are operated by Express Jet). They are very small. I would have been tweeting like crazy. And calling the local news. And CNN.

[Cadaverous Pallor]

Originally Posted by 3894

Sometimes, you just have to wonder at human beings ...



Source is here. There's a short sidebar video at the link from another flight that sat on the tarmac with no air. Infants, old people, hours, summer heat, no air. Can't wait to see it, right?

I just read the whole article and I think it's worth everyone's time. Passengers currently have no rights to ask for anything - food, air, clean toilets even. As soon as you are on the plane you are at the whim of the pilot and the company. Rabble rousing can land you in big trouble.

Looks like this latest story is giving the Passenger Bill of Rights some traction in Congress. Boxer is interested. There are a ton of other news sites covering the story.

[3894]

Originally Posted by Cadaverous Pallor

Passengers currently have no rights to ask for anything - food, air, clean toilets even.

It's like we're cargo.

[3894]

This story is really under my skin. The latest:

Furthermore, the airline apologized to the passengers on the flight and offered them a full refund for their entire trip and a certificate good for future travel.

Source. Bolding is mine. Like any of those passengers is ever going to set foot on a Continental flight again. Watch for a flurry of Continental vouchers on ebay, I guess.

And, in case your appetite for airplane travel has been whetted, Jet Blue will sell you an all-you-can-fly pass good between Sept. 8 and Oct. 8, $599.