Airlines versus the Government versus Passengers

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I have a multi-part series starting on Meteorological Musings pertaining to the airline industry that I hope you will find to be interesting.  It starts later today. I just got around to reading yesterday's Wall Street Journal and found this (subscription may be required). Keep this in mind as you read the series.  Stay tuned. Its going to be a bumpy ride!


Airlines are pushing back against new rules that give fliers more rights.
They are threatening to cancel scores of flights in response to a new rule that would prohibit airlines from keeping passengers on the tarmac for more than three hours without giving travelers the opportunity to get off the plane. As of April 29, carriers that break the rule would face steep fines of up to $27,500 per passenger, or more than $4 million on a full Boeing 737 or Airbus A320.
Carriers say that to avoid those fines, they will aggressively cancel flights before and during storms—even if the bad weather never materializes. The threats could foreshadow significant changes in air travel, making it even less reliable for millions of road warriors and vacationers. By canceling flights, it could take days for all travelers to get home when storms strike.


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