Cheap fares and discount hotel rooms are great, but no savings is worth sitting for an unknown amount of time on a runway waiting for your plane to take off. None of the three airlines (Continental, ExpressJet, or Mesaba) involved in a six hour tarmac delay on August 9th in Rochester, MN, accept any responsibility for the delay, yet all three agreed to unprecedented fines totaling $175,000 for their respective roles. Why would they agree to pay these fines if they the tarmac delay was not their fault?
They could have chosen to defend themselves in a hearing before an administrative judge. Do you think the airlines concern over airing their dirty laundry in public and spurring congressional action as a result of their decision to fight these fines played a role in their decision to settle?
Of the three airlines, Continental offered the most interesting defense of its actions acknowledging that it did not follow its published Customer First commitments, but claimed that their service guidelines are voluntary and not enforceable by the government. Their defense might influence travelers decisions whether to fly Continental in the future.
Do you think the government needs to enforce airline Customer First commitments, since the airlines apparently are going to pick and choose when to follow their own policies?
You have to wonder what future unbelievable tarmac delay will finally prompt the government to intervene with strict regulations that the airlines will have to follow to finally put passengers well being first.