Pax detained on board acft @ Birmingham
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Skipness One Echo, as far as I'm aware, your situation would be different in that you no longer wish to travel. I think I'm right in saying that the airline is obliged to let you leave the aircraft under those circumstances. From my point of view, I'd certainly want to assist you in any way possible. Apart from anything, if you've missed the whole point of your journey, then we'd get you there only to have to get try to get you back again, probably on my return flight! The only slight issue might be a delay in getting steps, loaders etc back to the aircraft depending on where it was but if that's what it took, then that's what would happen.
Oh for heavens sake, radeng! We've now moved on from pretending to be ill to a genuine illness. Do you really think we'd refuse to assist someone that was genuinely unwell, even if they have, as Westie has said, turned up completely unprepared? And yes, I am extremely well versed in the condition of Diabetes, thanks.
Think I'll go and talk to the dobbin. She speaks more sense!
For those of us who ARE diabetic, it could well prevent a far worse situation developing.
Think I'll go and talk to the dobbin. She speaks more sense!
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Thanks to all who replied to my original post.
Bearing in mind that, in England, even the Police cannot detain you for more than 12 hrs (& that's with several caveats) I wonder what legislation empowers airline staff to keep you onboard against your will for non-security reasons ?
In the Birmingham example quoted by the BBC, what would have happened if Max Clifford had been a pax ? - and don't anyone say he would've been treated the same as anyone else, (even if that's true) because I don't think he would let that happen ;-)
Bearing in mind that, in England, even the Police cannot detain you for more than 12 hrs (& that's with several caveats) I wonder what legislation empowers airline staff to keep you onboard against your will for non-security reasons ?
In the Birmingham example quoted by the BBC, what would have happened if Max Clifford had been a pax ? - and don't anyone say he would've been treated the same as anyone else, (even if that's true) because I don't think he would let that happen ;-)
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Seems to me that if legal action starts being taken, the result will be airlines/crew reluctant to board, folks spending more nights on airport floors and picking up longer delays.
I wonder how many people will take action when the airline fails to provide this?
There is already one firm of lawyers, Flight delays or flight cancellations? Claim your compensation | EUclaim.co.uk, specialising in these claims - the airlines will get the lawyers they deserve, if they play fast and loose.
As usual, JetsetLady shows the approach of a professional in the business and if all airline employees were so reasonable, the lawyers would be struggling to find clients.
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should be spending the night in a hotel,
The point I was also making was, that with the situation, there were at a lot of airports, no hotel rooms available. It's fine having EU decisions but if there is no room at the inn where are you going to put passengers to comply with it?
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West Lakes
I understand your point, but if the legislation is not complied with, there is the potential for big trouble. There is no 'let out' clause in the regs, the airline must comply.
Recently, I was in Barcelona and it was closed by severe thunderstorms, with the cancelation of many flights - I was sent by taxi to a hotel in a town many km away, to comply with the regs.
To be clear, the taxi fares alone, there and back, must have cost more than the whole flight (including taxes.)
I understand your point, but if the legislation is not complied with, there is the potential for big trouble. There is no 'let out' clause in the regs, the airline must comply.
Recently, I was in Barcelona and it was closed by severe thunderstorms, with the cancelation of many flights - I was sent by taxi to a hotel in a town many km away, to comply with the regs.
To be clear, the taxi fares alone, there and back, must have cost more than the whole flight (including taxes.)
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It's a catch 22, need to put pax in hotel, no hotel, roads impassable (at LGW one member of staff took 8hrs to get home on Saturday, a journey of normally 90mins) (that would be a good headline "Airline passengers stuck 8 hrs on a coach (taxi) going to hotel).
If they are stuck at airport and EU rules apply airlines would just have to pay up I guess
If they are stuck at airport and EU rules apply airlines would just have to pay up I guess
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If having endured a multiple hour delay trapped on a static aircraft and no longer willing to be a passenger, as in "I no longer wish to travel", which I could certainly see my self doing on a domestic, what rights do I have to get off assuming parked and engines off?
This is a result of 9/11 legislation. If they de-board one passenger, they have to de-board the entire plane and baggage, and then inspect the plane, rescan the luggage, and re-inspect the passengers, and most likely issue new tickets to all passengers.
This has resulted in airlines waiting on the tarmac if there's going to be a delay of less than X hours (X is determined by the airline, probably based on costs of de-boarding, re-scanning, re-ticketing, and re-boarding). So, since this legislation was passed, after 9/11, there have been numerous instances where planes have waited for several hours - the longest, I believe was 12 - before being released or returning to the gate. There have been lawsuits, however, since the airlines were doing what they gubmint told them to do, they have been found NOT negligent, nor responsible, so they have not had to pay any fines (until recently, after congress passed another bill), and since it's just about impossible to sue the gubmint and win, no-one that I'm aware of, has received any remuneration for being 'kidnapped' by the airlines and the congress on the ramp.
As a result of airlines not returning to the gate for several hours, congress passed a bill (new law) that requires airlines to provide air conditioning, heat, water and toilets if the delay is more than four (4) hours. As far as I know, this requirement does not include any other resources - ie. food
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If it's made bearable, i.e. the crew keep your updated with regular communication (even if to say no news!), they turn on the In-flight entertainment, and serve some drinks, then that solves a lot of problems. If they delay becomes even longer, and they provide snacks or even a meal, then people will be settled somehow.
But if you don't do any of that, and only give people a glass of water when the specifically request, well thats just poor customer service and low quality cabin crew/company procedures. The good crew are proactive and know what to do.
But if you don't do any of that, and only give people a glass of water when the specifically request, well thats just poor customer service and low quality cabin crew/company procedures. The good crew are proactive and know what to do.
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If it's made bearable, i.e. the crew keep your updated with regular communication (even if to say no news!), they turn on the In-flight entertainment, and serve some drinks, then that solves a lot of problems. If they delay becomes even longer, and they provide snacks or even a meal, then people will be settled somehow.
But if you don't do any of that, and only give people a glass of water when the specifically request, well thats just poor customer service and low quality cabin crew/company procedures. The good crew are proactive and know what to do.
But if you don't do any of that, and only give people a glass of water when the specifically request, well thats just poor customer service and low quality cabin crew/company procedures. The good crew are proactive and know what to do.
That's why the US congress had to pass a law requiring the ariline to provide water and toilets AFTER FOUR HOURS OF DELAY.
I'm sure it has to do with $$, but I haven't quite figured out why they won't allow pax to use the toilets on the ground - do they not have a holding tank?
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For the A340 model, I think that the toilet flush does not work properly.
An airplane is not designed to provide comfort to passengers while waiting on the ramp.
And our governments have put in place laws that prevent the planes from being de-boarded.
Result?
