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...