flPR-04-1998 05=1 0 P.02/0 3

Consume r

Actio n Consume r Federatio n of

Americ a Nationa l Consumer s Leagu e Publi c Citize n U.S . PIR G 

### '1-PARTMENTO F •Af^SPORWIO N '•<H T OPERATION S

7 Octobe r 201 0 Documen t

Managemen t

Facility U.S . Departmen t

o f Transportatio n 120 0 Ne w Jerse y Avenue , S.E . Washington , D.C . 20590-000 1 VI A FA X (202 ) 493-225 1 Re : Notic e o f

Propose dRul e Making : Enhancin g Airlin e Passenge r Protection s Reference : 1 4 CFRPart s 234 , 250 , 253 , 259 , an d39 9

Docke t No . DOT-OST-2010-014 0 RES f No . 2105-AD9 2 Ladie s an dGentlemen : We , th e undersigne dnationa l consume r organizations , togethe r

representin g hundred s o f million s o f

consumer s i n th e Unite dStates , wis h t o hav e ou r view s considere da s late comment s o n th e Departmen t

o f Transportation' s secon dpropose dregulatio n o n "Enhancin g Airlin e Passenge r Protections " (Jun e 8 , 2010) . I f yo u woul dlik

e a n electroni c cop y pleas e contac t E d Mierzwinski (edm@pirg.org) . W e congratulat e Secretary LaHoo do n th e succes s of th e firs t comprehensiv e airlin e passenge r regulatio n hi s departmen t promulgate dlas t

December . Tha t

regulation , includin g a3-hou r limi t o n th e tim e tha

t passenger s o n domesti c flight s ca n b e strande do n airpor t tarmac s withou t

a n optio n t o deplane , appear s t o b e ver y successful . Dat afromth e firs t thre e month s o f

operation s unde r tha t regulatio n indicat e that

lon g tarma c delay s o n domesti c flights hav e almos t bee n eliminate dan dairlin e cancellation s o f flight s hav e no t

notabl y increased . Airlin e passenger s are als o benefittin g fromman y othe r element s in that

consume r

protectio n regulation , includin g th e receip t of timel y an daccurat e informatio n whe n flight s ar e delayed . Ou r organization s support

eac h of th e proposal s in thi s follow-o n Notic e o f Propose dRul e Makin g (NPRM) , an dbeliev e the y appropriatel y expan dan dsupplemen t th e previou s regulation . The y expan dth e coverage o f U.S . domesti c passenge r protection s to thos e travelin g o n U.S . internationa l flight s o f

foreig n carriers ; establis h minimu mstandard s for th e promise s airline sPlPR-04-199 8 05:1 1 P . 03/0 3

hav e mad e i n thei r

"Custome r

Servic e Plans, " an dincreas e financial payment s t o passenger s wh o hav e bee n involuntaril y bumpe dfro moversol dflights . W e are particularl y please dthat DO T i s proposin g to requir e tha t passenger s receiv e comprehensiv e an dunderstandabl e informatio n abou t th e man y fee s that

th e airline s hav e bee n addin g t o thei r

fare s for baggage , foo dan dbeverage , bette r seats , etc. , s o that

traveler s ca n readil y compar e th e tota l cost s o f flying o n competin g airlines . Thi s issu e i s highl y frustratin g t o consumer s fromreport s we'v e received , an dw e accordingl y urg e th e departmen t t o promulgat e it s final regulatio n a s soo n a s possible . W e hav e reviewe dan dsupport th e extensiv e conmienl s tha t are bein g submitte do n eac h of th e section s in th e pendin g NPR M b y FlyersRights.or g o n behal f of airlin e passengers . W e ar e als o concerne dabou t

th e issu e raise db y th e Aviatio n Consume r Actio n Projec t

(ACAP ) tha t

airlin e passenger s don' t

hav e effectiv e acces s t o th e court s to enforc e provision s i n airlin e Contract s o f Carriage . We support

th e recommendatio n that DO T shoul dloo k

int o thi s situatio n and , i

f needed , shoul drecommen da n alternativ e approac h to th e Congres s for compensatin g passenger s fo r airlin e violation s o f

thei r promises . DO T shoul dfurthe r ensur e tha t

it s rule s d o no t

preemp t consume r claim s unde r

stat e laws . Than k yo u for considerin g ou r

view s o n thi s importan t

consume r

regulation . Pleas e contac t E d Mierzwinski a

t U.S . PIR G wit

h question s (edm@pirg.or g o r 202-546-970 7 x 314) . Sincerely , Lind aSherry Executiv e Directo r Consume r

Actio n Travi s Plunket

t Legislativ e Directo r Consumer Federatio n of

Americ a Sally Greenberg Executiv e Directo r National Consumer s Leagu e Davi dArkus h Directo r Publi c Citizen' s Congres s Watc h Edmun dMierzwinsk

i Consumer Progra mDirecto r U.S . PIR G

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