Airlines continue to fight three-hour provision

The U.S. Senate’s Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee has approved an FAA funding bill with a passenger protection provision that would require airlines to let flyers off an aircraft after it sits on the tarmac for at least three hours. However, there is no guarantee that the provision won’t be removed as the bill makes its way through the congressional approval process, as it was last year. Passenger advocacy groups like FlyersRights.org have been pushing for adoption of the plan, but the airline industry has been lobbying vigorously against it. Airlines argue that forcing a plane to return to the gate after an arbitrary time limit has passed would actually create more delays, cancellations and inconveniences for passengers, and that any decisions about such things should be left to the pilot and air traffic controllers. The Transportation Department requires airlines to have contingency plans on file as to how they will handle lengthy tarmac delays, and the agency is currently considering a rule that would make those filings legally enforceable as part of the airline’s contract of carriage.