Travel: Lose Your Cares, Luggage, Sanity

Airline Fashion Cops, Missing Suitcases And Runway Rage; In 2007, Consumers Said "Enough"

(CBS/AP)  The summer was no better with problems piling upon cancellations. The nation's seven busiest airports now account for 72 percent of the nation's flight delays.

Congress is looking into making changes. How can they not when Rep. Bob Filner, D-Calif., is alleged to have barged, screaming, into a United Airlines baggage claim office at Dulles International Airport and shoved a clerk, leading to a misdemeanor assault charge. Filner disputes the charge and is due in court tomorrow.

His explanation, according to the Post? "I was tired after a delayed flight and frustrated by the subsequent further delay of the entire flight's baggage," he said in a written statement after the August incident.

President Bush promised last week to take steps to reduce air traffic clogs and delays that have left travelers grounded. "Endless hours sitting in an airplane on a runway with no communication between a pilot and the airport is just not right," he said.

Transportation Secretary Mary Peters, under direct orders from Mr. Bush, told reporters she is asking airlines to meet to formulate a plan to improve scheduling at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport, one of the nation's busiest. If no solution is found, she said, the department is prepared to issue a scheduling reduction order.

JFK International normally has enough capacity for 44 departures between 8 a.m. and 9 a.m., but commercial airlines regularly schedule 57 departures, said Steve Brown, a former associate administrator for air traffic services at the FAA.

Talks of limiting service, adjusting schedules capping flights and getting rid of the antiquated air traffic system are some of the ideas that are being floated to deal with delays -- all of which can impact ticket prices.

Peters said the agency is also improving the department's complaint system and is acting to increase compensation for passengers involuntarily bumped from flights from $200 to more than $600.

Airline executives told Congress that paying more wouldn't fix the delays.

That strategy "will do nothing more than reduce service to small communities, reduce job growth and raise fares for commercial passengers," Zane Rowe, senior vice president of network strategy at Continental Airlines Inc., told the Senate subcommittee on aviation operations, safety and security.

Before the American and JetBlue incidents, only four of the 13 airlines had established time limits on the duration of tarmac delays, he said. After the winter incidents, five airlines including American and JetBlue put time limits on delays before letting passengers off, but five still do not.

[hideronpaul]

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[eggy1620]

Hey whispyseas (aka oakishpines), please disable your spamming software before you crash these message boards again.

[ladyjaneg]

Honestly, with all these rules of security changes, (you can''t let your child drink water?) and policy changes and how customer service is a code for "rude, stuck-up, torture service" and how high the prices have gone...it just seems easier to just stay at home.

[johnny_chaos]

The republicans(alleged) in power hate government, why would they want to run it well? its the end result of tearing apart the agencys that impose rules on corporations agenda. its rolling back the clock to the days of the robber barrons. eventually, it will all fall apart and those of us that supported this free market excess will be left holding worthless stocks and bags of manure.

[hungry1968]

"LET ME SEE IF I GET THIS STRAIGHT,, THE AIRLINE INDUSTRY IS IN A MESS, HAS BEEN FOR YEARS, AM-TRACK IS IN A MESS, AND DEFINETLY, MOST DEFINETLY THE "TRUCKING INDUSTRY" IS CERTAINLY IN A MESS, MAKES YOU WONDER WHAT THE SECETARY OF TRANSPORTATION IS DOING ABOUT ANY OF THIS??"
Posted by JetRanger7 at 05:35 PM : Oct 01, 2007



He was probably "Brownie''s" replacement at the American Quarter Horse Association and is unaware that there is a problem currently happening.
Just like when CNN had to show people at the Superdome to Brownie, maybe someone shouls show this ding-dong the tv images of people being scr*wed around.

[godswill02]

TO be labled CBS News Correspondent Nancy Cordes, you need more knowledge than just a label.

Despite the fact that Lexicon, Lexington and Louisville all start with the letter "L" there is no further connection.

Ms. Cordes declared that horrific Commuter AirCrash last year in Lexington, KY happened in Louisville.

NOT so. Check your copy before you speak, pls. -w-

[lissettemc]

My luggage was lost by Spirit Airlines on July 9th from San Juan, PR to Fort Lauderdale, FL. This airline has no concern for their customers what so ever. They charge you for your luggage and on top of that they loose it. I have been trying to contact them to find out the status of my claim and they do not answer and they don''t return calls. I can go on and on but the what for nobody listens...

[jetranger7]

LET ME SEE IF I GET THIS STRAIGHT,, THE AIRLINE INDUSTRY IS IN A MESS, HAS BEEN FOR YEARS, AM-TRACK IS IN A MESS, AND DEFINETLY, MOST DEFINETLY THE "TRUCKING INDUSTRY" IS CERTAINLY IN A MESS, MAKES YOU WONDER WHAT THE SECETARY OF TRANSPORTATION IS DOING ABOUT ANY OF THIS ?? THINK ITS WAY PAST TIME TO TURN UP THE HEAT ON THESE WASHINGTON POLITICIANS, AND GET THEM TO START DOING THEIR JOBS AND ENACTING LEGISLATION ON BEHALF OF THE CONSUMERS AND THE WORKERS, AND NOT THE CORPORATE CEOs, ENOUGH IS ENOUGH OF THIS, IT IS NOT WORKING ! THEY LIED TO ALL OF US, "DEREGULATION DID NOT WORK" !!!

[lckmstr4u]

This is not just a airline problem, ever traveled on AMTRAK? it''s a goverment sponsored corporation, and there are no competitors, Washington d.c. to LA, four days lots of stops and missing baggage, nasty food , unscheduled stops for freight trains that share the rail lines,oh, but they do stop to let the smokers off for a smoke break....stolen checked luggage and no electrical outlets for ipoda, laptops or dvd players,travel is a billion dollar business,we pay ,and they get rich!!!next time I''ll fly !

[photogeezer]

Don''t be deterred from travelling. Carry only the essentials in a carry-on bag. The *** WANT you to be isolated and fearful. The world as a whole is neither hostile nor dangerous. Travel and get in touch with your European, Asian and African roots. When the airlines screw up, holler long and load.

[lochlan-2009]

Welcome to the "New World Order", where the citizen is always wrong.

[barbaraf4]

"Travel: Lose Your Cares, Luggage, Sanity
Airline Fashion Cops, Missing Suitcases And Runway Rage; In 2007, Consumers Said "Enough"

Apparently you can also lose your life.

[johnny_chaos]

"Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable."
-- John F. Kennedy

[gunownerdan]

"Today we need a nation of minute men; citizens who are not only prepared to take up arms, but citizens who regard the preservation of freedom as a basic purpose of their daily life and who are willing to consciously work and sacrifice for that freedom. The cause of liberty, the cause of American, cannot succeed with any lesser effort."
-- President John F. Kennedy, January 29, 1961