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Senators Seek to Ban Long Waits on the Tarmac

If Members of Congress have their way—and they often do—hellish multi-hour waits on the tarmac could become illegal.

The Senate commerce committee voted in favor of a bill this week that would make it illegal to keep passengers waiting on a grounded plane for more than three hours. The move comes in response to a string of ultra-long flight delays in recent years, including the infamous JetBlue flight that sat on the tarmac at JFK for 10 ½ hours with some very antsy passengers on board. If the proposed legislation passes, airlines would have to let passengers off for a break after the wait hits the three-hour mark.

The movement was spearheaded by FlyersRights.org, an activist group led by Kate Hanni, a flyer who found herself a new cause after spending nine grounded hours on an American Airlines flight three years ago. The legislation next moves on to the full Senate where, unsurprisingly, airline industry lobbyists are working feverishly to kill it.

Related Stories:
· Senate Panel Votes to Let Passengers Off Stuck Planes [Bloomberg]
· FlyersRights.org [Official Site]
· Airline Storm Report: JFK Flight Delay Spotlight on JetBlue and Delta [Jaunted]

[Photo: sparkrtography]