CAPBOR Says Stranded AAL Flyers Would Have Loved To Check Them Out

by ANN Managing Editor Rob Finfrock

Timing, as they say, is everything. Life is filled with coincidences, happy and sad alike, that conspire equally to keep life interesting, to say the least. It was with this in mind I read two releases sent to my Inbox early Monday morning, one arriving just moments after the other.

Let's look at the second one first. On Monday, my former hometown airport, Dallas-Fort Worth International, announced it took top honors at this weekend's 2008 ARN Revenue Conference & Exhibition Awards, for having the Best Overall Concessions Program for large airports. The airport's relatively new International Terminal D also took home the trophy in three categories related to single terminals.

"We are truly humbled and inspired by these honors from our industry peers, and we plan to continue to innovate in the area of concessions and give our passengers the best airport experience we possibly can," said Jeff Fegan, DFW’s CEO. "Since we opened Terminal D in 2005, we have worked hard to create a truly memorable atmosphere for our passengers, and it’s rewarding to know they are taking notice."

That release arrived to my Inbox at 0920. Four minutes earlier, this item came across: "Up, Up and Away Goes American Airlines Promise Not to Leave Passengers Stranded on Tarmac Says CAPBOR."

Uh oh, I thought. Here we go again. According to the Coalition for an Airline Passenger Bill Of Rights, passengers onboard 17 American Airlines flights were stranded onboard grounded aircraft last Thursday, due to a fierce winter storm that settled over much of the central United States.

"They knew we weren't going anywhere," Linda Plank, one of the stranded passengers, told CAPBOR. "We got peanuts. We'd been on the plane for about four hours and 45 minutes and we finally got peanuts?"

"They made us pay for the water and the peanuts," added passenger Chad Randolph, who sat on the tarmac on Flight #3797 for seven hours according to the group.

Since we're talking of coincidences, you can probably guess where these flights were stuck: on the ground at DFW International... leaving those passengers to gaze longingly at the airport's five terminals, and the award-winning concessions inside their glass-panelled walls.

As you might recall, American took steps in February 2007 to deal with the issue of passenger strandings, following headline-grabbing incidents over the Christmas 2006 travel season that saw over 121 American Airlines flights stranded due to ice storms over DFW. One of those passengers was Kate Hanni... who later formed CAPBOR, and became the proverbial thorn in the side of the Fort Worth-based airline.

Following those strandings, American took the lead in stating in the future, it would not keep passengers stuck onboard grounded aircraft for longer than four hours. The move wasn't so much a humanitarian one, as it was political -- as American, and other US domestic airlines, hoped to stave off a newly-resurgent movement for federal legislation on passenger rights.

"Once again, the airlines themselves prove the point that voluntary plans, with no oversight, such as those favored by the Department of Transportation, are a recipe for disaster," Hanni said regarding last week's strandings. "American's 'four hour rule' is nothing more than a PR strategy designed to fool the public and convince the government that mandatory guidelines are unnecessary."

According to CAPBOR records, the incident last Thursday was "at least" the 16th individual incident involving over 70 four hour-plus strandings since the 4 hour "rule" was announced. "DFW is a terrific airport. Why not get passengers back into the terminal and let them take advantage of the amenities there instead of sitting on a cramped airplane for six hours?" Hanni asked.

American offered a somewhat meek excuse, stating "we weren't able to physically move aircraft" during the ice storm at DFW. The airline also told a local television station it would reevaluate its poor weather procedures... but no one would face disciplinary action, according to CAPBOR. Stranded passengers may receive a travel voucher valued up to $500 against future travel on American.

That's little consolation, says Hanni. "Flying used to be like a good date, now it's like a recurring nightmare."

Hmmm... while American takes a second look at its foul weather procedures, perhaps concessionaires at DFW might consider something akin to the 50s-era drive-in, "carhop" service seen on "Happy Days," or "American Graffiti"?

I can see it now -- servers bundled up in scarves and parkas, sliding from the terminal to stranded planes on ice skates (wouldn't they be safe, after all, since American said itself nothing else was able to move?) holding trays of coffee and snacks for passengers inside? Just a thought...

FMI: www.dfwairport.com, www.flyersrights.org, www.aa.com