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Airline Passenger Bill of Rights

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In 2006 the FlyersRights.org was formed by Kate Hanni because she and her family were stranded for 9 hours on the tarmac in Austin, Texas. They were not allowed to leave the aircraft and were forced to endure the heat and smells filling the cabin from the on board lavatories. The passenger Bill of Rights was not new at that time, FlyersRights.org stated "The bill, which had been stalled in Congress since at least 1999, allows passengers the option of getting off delayed planes after 3 hours on the ground, and requires airlines to provide adequate food, water, temperature controls, ventilation and working toilets to accommodate a 3-hour delay" (FlyersRights.org, 2013). Due to Kate Hanni's persistence her congressman Democrat Mike Thompson introduced legislation which would force airlines to allow passengers to deplane after 3 hours on the tarmac. In 2007 Democrat Senator Barbra Boxer and Republican Senator Olympia Snowe joined in bipartisanship to introduce S.678 IS -- Airline Passenger Bill of Rights Act of 2007 this bill's intent is "To amend title 49, United States Code, to ensure air passengers have access to necessary services while on a grounded air carrier and are not unnecessarily held on a grounded air carrier before or after a flight, and for other purposes" (The Library of Congress, 2013). The major changes to Title 49 of the U.S. Code include provisions of food and water to the passengers and also the right to deplane. In 2009, Senators Boxer and Snowe

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