DOT imposes 3-hr limit on strandings -Airlines must supply food, water after 2 hrs

[dejr_8]

This is still a joke!. If the airplane hasn't taken-off after an hour there is something wrong. Return to the terminal!

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34510274/ns/travel-news/

 

[maelstrom]

After an hour, I'd be having some major panic/anxiety issues. This ruling also includes providing medical care when necessary. It's best to remove the crazy person from the plane and give her some valium. Just sayin'.

 

[NotUrsula]

This is still a joke!. If the airplane hasn't taken-off after an hour there is something wrong. Return to the terminal!

I disagree. 3 hours is a fair limit, especially in winter. The primary reason is de-icing.

The thing about de-icing is that you have to do it just before the plane is due to take off, so it has to be done way out on the taxiway. Depending on the size of the aircraft and the number of trucks available to work on it, de-icing can take anywhere from about 20-40 minutes to do properly.
Planes are going to stack up behind the one being worked on, waiting their turn. Even if you delay them a bit leaving the gate, there is still going to be a bit of a lineup on the runway that will normally take you out to something over an hour from gate to wheels-up.

The longest time I've spent on a runway was 8 hours, on Xmas Eve. It wasn't fun. However, nothing got uncomfortable until we had been out there for at least 2 hours, because it was cold outside. The worst situation I was ever in was actually a 3.5 hour wait on a runway at ATL in an MD-80 -- in August. Those planes don't have working A/C when they are on the ground. People were throwing up all over the place from the heat. Heat gets bad quickly, so I think I'd add a provision that any plane that does not have a/c gets first priority for takeoff or gate arrival if the outside temp is over 80F.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I was stranded once on the tarmac in January of 1994. I don't remember who I flew.

It was a light snow all day in the DC metro area during MLK weekend. Nothing out of the ordinary.

I was snuggly in my seat and the plane had left the gate when it was announced that our deicing would be delayed. Then after a long while--the FA's began serving us stuff. Then the airport closed and everything had to be put away so we could return to the gate. I didn't feel--slighted at all and felt treated very well.

To me--it is common sense customer service. It isn't like if you are called to take off that you can do so immediately, so the FA's have plenty of time to gather all the trash and stuff during taxi.

A pilot just can't willy nilly decide to park his/her aircraft wherever he pleases. Our pilot had intentions of taking off and the tower had intentions of letting us and all the other planes. But it just didn't work out. He returned to the gate when instructed (as he should have done).

My only complaint was the vomiting baggage claim. I kid you not--the baggage claim was a sea of luggage. The belts were still moving and it never occurred to the airport to try to do something about that. It was a pretty funny sight. Though not so fun to hunt down your bags as there was no rhyme nor reason to where your bags were at that point.

I say kudo's to the airlines who preemptively cancelled this weekend ahead of the weather.


And as someone is discussing the de-icing...after watching the story about the Air Florida flight who got their de-icing too early before take off...I'm more than happy to have my plane wait patiently for its turn to be de-iced so my plane can make it safely off the ground.

It is first come first serve, so if a pilot willy nilly gives up his place in line b/c a passenger is due their next meal (That they were more than welcome to bring on the plane themselves)--the plane loses its spot and the hour delay becomes mutli-hour.

 

[debster812]

This is still a joke!. If the airplane hasn't taken-off after an hour there is something wrong. Return to the terminal!

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34510274/ns/travel-news/

Ever flown out of JFK airport mid-afternoon? The last time DS and I connected through JFK the pilot came on and told us we were at least 30th in line for takeoff, and that it could be up to an hour. No problems, just MAJOR ground delays. Had we returned to the terminal, we'd have lost our slot in line.

And I agree, 3hrs in the winter is not unheard of with de-icing and plowing runways.

 

[dejr_8]

Ever flown out of JFK airport mid-afternoon? The last time DS and I connected through JFK the pilot came on and told us we were at least 30th in line for takeoff, and that it could be up to an hour. No problems, just MAJOR ground delays. Had we returned to the terminal, we'd have lost our slot in line.

And I agree, 3hrs in the winter is not unheard of with de-icing and plowing runways.

That's the issue. Don't put all the planes on the runway to Wait. Figure out a better method.

 

[locolala]

So you want the plane to go back to the terminal and take up a jetway that another plane needs?

 

[ICF]

I was stranded once on the tarmac in January of 1994.

A lot has changed in the airline industry in those 16 years.....

Many don't give you anything for free....not even a beverage or package of peanuts. Not to mention the increased fees, such as $20 or more per piece of luggage.

I was stranded on a small plane (60 seater or so) for 2+ hours about 18 months ago. We hopped on the plane, sat there for about 30 mins and then the pilot came on and said that there was a mechanical issue they wanted to check out. We then then sat on the plane for another 90 mins. This was a plane that they had to evenutally "move out of the way" so that someone else could use the gate.

I was aggrevated due to the fact that there was no real reason they couldn't have just taken us off the plane while they figured out it (as we were sitting at the game when the 'issue' came up). Instead we spend 2 hours in our seats and 15 mins into the flight they come around wanting to charge us for a beverage and snack?!?!?!?!

 

[2binak]

We waited for 3 hours on the tarmac in Boston after leaving the gate. It was mid-July, 85 and sunny outside, but there were horrible storms in our destination city. The wait wasn't horrible, but everyone on board who was connecting to another flight knew we would miss the connection so that had people a little on edge. We were not given any food or water and the plane was very stuffy & warm. I think giving people food & water after 2 hours is fair and making them wait no more than 3 hours is also fair.

We were also stuck at the gate for 5 hours in Orlando once, again, bad weather in our destination city. There was a older man in our row who was diabetic and had not brought his medication on board with him because it was supposed to be a very short flight (MCO to ATL). His DD phoned the airline to alert them about his condition when she heard the flight was delayed. This was about 1 hour into the delay. The FA offered him a sandwich and a drink and he was embarrassed to take it, saying that he didn't want to eat if no one else was eating. People told him it was ok and that we understood, but he still felt awful about it. About 2.5-3 hours into the delay, we were finally given water and allowed to leave the plane, but we had to stay in the gate area. 5 hours after our original departure time, the plane took off. It was a long wait, but at least we were at the gate and allowed to leave the plane.

 

[kaytieeldr]

That's the issue. Don't put all the planes on the runway to Wait. Figure out a better method.

Good idea. Then you can have all the planes that are scheduled/trying to land, circle around over the airport until they're low on fuel and have to divert to another airport... where they can't land because none of THOSE planes are leaving the jetway either....

 

[kaytieeldr]

Many don't give you anything for free....not even a beverage or package of peanuts. Not to mention the increased fees, such as $20 or more per piece of luggage.

I'm confused - which airlines comprise the many that don't give even a beverage or package of peanuts free? To the best of my knowledge, every airline currently provides free soft drinks (US Airways short-lived and defunct experiment notwithstanding) and any airline that offers little packaged snacks provides those free as well - not to be confused with airlines that [also] offer meals for purchase.

 

[disneyfav4ever]

A lot has changed in the airline industry in those 16 years.....

Many don't give you anything for free....not even a beverage or package of peanuts. Not to mention the increased fees, such as $20 or more per piece of luggage.

I was stranded on a small plane (60 seater or so) for 2+ hours about 18 months ago. We hopped on the plane, sat there for about 30 mins and then the pilot came on and said that there was a mechanical issue they wanted to check out. We then then sat on the plane for another 90 mins. This was a plane that they had to evenutally "move out of the way" so that someone else could use the gate.

I was aggrevated due to the fact that there was no real reason they couldn't have just taken us off the plane while they figured out it (as we were sitting at the game when the 'issue' came up). Instead we spend 2 hours in our seats and 15 mins into the flight they come around wanting to charge us for a beverage and snack?!?!?!?!

That's why I love Southwest, they don't charge for any of that stuff.

 

[ICF]

I'm confused - which airlines comprise the many that don't give even a beverage or package of peanuts free?

Im pretty sure it was a US Air flight out of Philly.

 

[Imzadi]

Thank God! I have pre-diabetes and have to eat every few hours. I even posted a thread a few months ago asking if planes feed people at all on a coast to coast flight. I am all for being self responsible for my food/health/medical issues to a reasonable degree and stocking up in case of emergencies. But, I shouldn't be forced to pack a 3 day supply of food for a flight that is supposed to be 6 hours, because I'm unnecessarily being held hostage on a flight.

I disagree. 3 hours is a fair limit, especially in winter. The primary reason is de-icing.

The thing about de-icing is that you have to do it just before the plane is due to take off, so it has to be done way out on the taxiway. Depending on the size of the aircraft and the number of trucks available to work on it, de-icing can take anywhere from about 20-40 minutes to do properly.
Planes are going to stack up behind the one being worked on, waiting their turn. Even if you delay them a bit leaving the gate, there is still going to be a bit of a lineup on the runway that will normally take you out to something over an hour from gate to wheels-up.

Yes, several years ago, when airlines were feeding us, I took one of the last flights out of JFK as a major snow storm was heading in. All the planes were lined up, and we were creeping forward as best we could. The control tower was doing everything it could to get all the planes off the ground before the storm grounded everyone.

Our plane had to be de-iced every 20-40 minutes as we moved forward. We could literally see the ice forming on the wings. Once, we actually were taken back to the gate, disembarked for 40 minutes, as more food & supplies were re-loaded. Some passengers cancelled or rerouted. I loaded up on food. Then we got back on the plane, got back in line, only to creep forward again.

The flight, which normally takes 6 hours, took 13 hours. The only thing that kept all the passengers calm was the fact that, if we could just get off the ground,

we'd be landing in sunny, 80 degrees CA.

 

[Aisling]

If the airline knows it's going to be on the tarmac for hours, why can't they have some buses drive out and return passengers to the terminal to wait it out? If the wait is because of being 30th in line, of course this isn't an option because of the plane creeping along, but the other major stand-still delays should bring the people back and bus them back when the plane is close to being ready. It's better for the pilots, too, not having to spend restless hours onboard before a flight.

 

[ols386]

Three hours is a long time to be sitting in a plane on the tarmac...especially for those with little kids/babies (or anyone for that matter). I don't know exactly what the solution would be, but seems like there should be a better way of handling it, rather making people sit there for 3 hours.

 

[dejr_8]

Three hours is a long time to be sitting in a plane on the tarmac...especially for those with little kids/babies (or anyone for that matter). I don't know exactly what the solution would be, but seems like there should be a better way of handling it, rather making people sit there for 3 hours.

And don't forget that 3 hr wait could be on top of a planned 6 hour flight.

 

[wendy46001]

I'm confused - which airlines comprise the many that don't give even a beverage or package of peanuts free? To the best of my knowledge, every airline currently provides free soft drinks (US Airways short-lived and defunct experiment notwithstanding) and any airline that offers little packaged snacks provides those free as well - not to be confused with airlines that [also] offer meals for purchase.

Whoever said US air was right...short flight Orlando to DC
soda or water was 2dollars cash only...UGH…wish they told us that before we left the gate

I once sat on the runway for three hours next to a little girl named Sydney. I'll always remember that flight. Sydney screamed for three hours that she wanted to watch Elmo, parent brought her a portable DVD player but the flight attendants wouldn’t let them turn it on until we where in the air
Never thought to ask for water, we just kept asking if her parents could turn on the DVD player

 

[jodifla]

Well, it's not great, but it's SOMETHING. Before you were literally the airline's hostage once you stepped foot on the plane.

 

[C.Ann]

Well, it's not great, but it's SOMETHING. Before you were literally the airline's hostage once you stepped foot on the plane.

Agreed..