Stranded on the Tarmac? The DOT Has Your Back

Hanging out at the airport is a big pile of "wait" wrapped in a frantic, busy and miserable environment. But have you ever had the stress of holiday travel impacted by an hours-long wait sitting on the runway? That's what happened to passengers aboard a JetBlue flight in 2007. Remember that?

Traveling on Valentine's Day weekend, fliers were left stranded and forced to walk around the plane's cabin, were offered only water (no food) and suffered the stench of toilet waste while parked on New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport runway. That weekend only 10 percent of JetBlue's scheduled flights took off. Some were forced to sit on the tarmac — up to six hours — because of antiquated security laws and lack of available gates. For JetBlue, the incident became a public relations disaster, even forcing the CEO at the time to resign.

But those who braved that blustery Nor'easter two years ago, we salute you! For it was your sacrifice that led to the ruling issued forth today by the U.S. Department of Transportation. Basically, airlines that force passengers to stay on the ground during an idle domestic flight for more than three hours will be fined $27,500 for each passenger. International restrictions are being reviewed.

"Airline passengers have rights, and these new rules will require airlines to live up to their obligation to treat their customers fairly," Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said in a statement. Additionally, airlines will have to post delay information online in real time, revamp their customer service response and provide food and water within two hours of a delay.

The people have spoken and we will not sit on the tarmac and miss a day in Cancun for peanuts and weak coffee!

Photo courtesy of stock.xchng