New York this week signed into law a passenger bill of rights, claiming to be become the first state to require airlines to provide passengers with "food, water, fresh air, power and working restrooms on any flight that has left the gate and been on the tarmac for more than three hours."
Governor Eliot Spitzer yesterday announced signing the legislation-slated to go into effect next January—aimed to "ensure airline passengers on severely delayed flights operating out of New York airports are provided with basic customer protections."
Additionally, the law establishes the Office of the Airline Consumer Advocate within New York's Consumer Protection Board to oversee carrier compliance and field passenger complaints. Noncompliant airlines face fines of up to $1,000 per passenger, according to the bill sponsored by state Sen. Charles Fuschillo, a Long Island Republican, and Assemblyman Michael Gianaris, a Queens Democrat.
The legislation comes amid "several incidents of severe delays" at John F. Kennedy International Airport earlier this year, including the widely publicized storm-induced delays and cancellations affecting more than 100,000 JetBlue customers, some of whom were grounded for hours at the airport. The carrier already has implemented its own bill of rights, which guarantees compensation for passengers facing extended delays and other provisions
(BTN, March 5).
Since then, legislation in the U.S. House and Senate has progressed to create a national passenger bill of rights. The Senate's version, which remains in committee, is sponsored by Rep. Mike Thompson (D-Calif.) and Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) and contains language similar to the New York law, including provisions for food and water and "adequate restroom facilities" when passengers are grounded. That bill also gives passengers the right to deplane after three hours
(BTN, April 23), which is not included in the New York version.