Wed, Apr 16, 2008
Airports Advocated Better Payoffs For Passengers On Large,
Small Planes
Airports Council International – North America (ACI-NA)
commended the Department of Transportation (DOT) for its
announcement Wednesday to amend the Part 250 compensation
available to passengers who are involuntarily denied boarding and
for expanding the measures to passengers flying on smaller
aircraft. In the final rule, the Department adopted all of the
enhancements advocated by ACI-NA.
"Airports are often required to assist passengers when they are
delayed or denied boarding," said ACI-NA President Greg Principato.
"ACI-NA strongly supported this increase in compensation which
helps recognize the inconvenience, lost time and lost opportunities
that passengers experience when delayed or bumped.
"In addition, passengers flying on regional jets, which
exclusively serve more than two-thirds of communities with
scheduled airline service, will now be provided the same consumer
protection as passengers flying on larger planes. While airports
and airlines continue to work to make the busy summer travel season
less difficult for passengers, we are pleased that DOT's
announcement means travelers can now expect more fair compensation
if they are delayed or bumped," Principato added.
In its January 22 comments on the DOT’s Notice of Proposed
Rulemaking, ACI-NA recommended the increase from $200 to $400
for passengers who are rerouted within two hours (four hours
internationally) and from $400 to $800 for passengers who are not
rerouted within these timeframes. ACI-NA also advocated that the
seating-capacity exception for small aircraft be reduced from "60
seats or less" to "less than 30 seats".
Use of regional carriers has increased tremendously in the last
10 years. In addition, 99 percent of regional airline passengers
travel on code-sharing flights; the percentage increase in
passengers on 31 through 60-seat aircraft has outpaced that on
larger aircraft; and often there are fewer flights to
re-accommodate passengers who are bumped from a small versus a
large aircraft.
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