Transcripts, Lost NWA flight

Wondering beyond MSP.

Making a List

And checking it twice.

Air Consumer Report, November 2009.

Tarmac Delay Fines, CAL 100K, Mesaba 75K, Express Jet

DOT 182-09
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Contact: Bill Mosley
Tel: (202) 366-4570

DOT Issues Precedent-Setting Fines for Rochester, MN Tarmac Delay Incident

The U.S. Department of Transportation today levied a total civil penalty of $100,000 against Continental Airlines and ExpressJet Airlines for their roles in causing the passengers on board Continental Express flight 2816 to remain on the aircraft at Rochester International Airport for an unreasonable period of time on Aug. 8, 2009. Continental also provided a full refund to each passenger and also offered each passenger additional compensation to tangibly acknowledge their time and discomfort. In addition, DOT assessed a civil penalty of $75,000 against Mesaba Airlines, which provided ground handling for the flight, for its role in the incident.

These precedent-setting enforcement actions involve consent orders that reflect a settlement by the carriers of violations alleged by DOT’s Aviation Enforcement Office. They are the first enforcement orders punishing carriers for extended tarmac delays, as well as the first time a carrier acting as a ground handler for another airline has been punished for failing to properly help passengers leave an aircraft during an unreasonably long tarmac delay.

“I hope that this sends a signal to the rest of the airline industry that we expect airlines to respect the rights of air travelers,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. “We will also use what we have learned from this investigation to strengthen protections for airline passengers subjected to long tarmac delays.”

The Aviation Enforcement Office’s investigation found that all three carriers violated the law that prohibits unfair and deceptive practices in air transportation for their respective roles in the incident, in which a Continental Express flight from Houston to Minneapolis/St. Paul operated by ExpressJet was diverted to Rochester due to bad weather in Minneapolis. The aircraft reached Rochester about 12:30 a.m. and the passengers were stranded aboard the aircraft until approximately 6:15 a.m. when they were finally deplaned into the terminal.

Prior to diverting to Rochester, ExpressJet contacted Mesaba personnel at Rochester to request assistance at the airport, which Mesaba, the only airline staffing the airport at the time, agreed to provide. Shortly after the flight arrived in Rochester, the ExpressJet captain asked the Mesaba employee handling the flight whether the passengers could deplane into the airport terminal. In response to this initial inquiry, and other subsequent inquiries, the captain was told that passengers could not enter the terminal because there were no Transportation Security Administration (TSA) screeners on duty at that hour, despite the fact that TSA rules would have allowed the passengers to enter the airport as long as they remained in a sterile area.

Continental and ExpressJet, in separate orders, were found to have violated the prohibition against unfair and deceptive practices in air transportation because ExpressJet failed to carry out a provision of Continental’s customer service commitment requiring that, if a ground delay is approaching three hours, its operations center will determine if departure is expected within a reasonable time, and if not the carrier will take action as soon as possible to deplane passengers. ExpressJet also failed to take timely actions required by its procedures, including notifying senior ExpressJet officials and providing appropriate Continental officials with notice of the delay. Continental was found to have engaged in an unfair and deceptive practice since, as the carrier marketing the flight 2816, Continental ultimately is responsible to its passengers on that flight.

The consent order covering Mesaba finds that the carrier engaged in an unfair and deceptive practice when it provided inaccurate information to ExpressJet about deplaning passengers from flight 2816.

In November 2008, the Department proposed a rule to enhance airline passenger protections, including a provision that would require airlines to adopt contingency plans for lengthy tarmac delays and incorporate them in their contracts of carriage. A final rule is expected by the end of this calendar year.

The consent orders issued today are available on the Internet at Regulations(dot)gov, docket number DOT-OST-2009-0001.

Your Driver's License Isn't Any Good Here. . . .

New Law Requires Passport after Jan.1, 2010. Twenty-five states do not comply.

Online applications forms are available on-line at the U.S. Department of State's travel site.You'll still have to take it to the Post Office and Stand in Line FOREVER.

Switching to Defrost Now. . .

Making Anti-Ice Automatic.

H1N1

Related Deaths.


PHISHING SCAM - CDC Sponsored State Vaccination Program for H1N1

CDC has received reports of fraudulent emails (phishing) referencing a CDC sponsored State Vaccination Program for H1N1. The messages request that users create a personal H1N1 (swine flu) Vaccination Profile on the CDC.gov web site.


Users that click on the embedded link in the email are at risk of having malicious code installed on their system. CDC reminds users to take the following steps to reduce the risk of being a victim of a phishing attack:


Do not open or respond to unsolicited email messages.
Do not click links embedded in emails from unknown senders.
Use caution when entering personal information online.
Update anti-virus, spyware, firewall, and anti-spam software regularly.

H1N1 and the Traveler

CDC Special Report.


PHISHING SCAM - CDC Sponsored State Vaccination Program for H1N1

CDC has received reports of fraudulent emails (phishing) referencing a CDC sponsored State Vaccination Program for H1N1. The messages request that users create a personal H1N1 (swine flu) Vaccination Profile on the CDC.gov web site.

Users that click on the embedded link in the email are at risk of having malicious code installed on their system. CDC reminds users to take the following steps to reduce the risk of being a victim of a phishing attack:


Do not open or respond to unsolicited email messages.
Do not click links embedded in emails from unknown senders.
Use caution when entering personal information online.
Update anti-virus, spyware, firewall, and anti-spam software regularly.

Judge Tosses Fraud Claim against Pilots' Exs

Judge tosses fraud charges against pilots who got "sham" divorces in order to have their ex-spouses qualify to cash out their pensions early.

Original Story via Courthousenews(dot)com.

Jet Fuel in Water Supplies

Jet Fuel in the Water.

Federal Register Notice.

9/11 Suit Set For Trial

Cantor Fitzgerald, hat tip to Courthousenews(dot)com.

H1N1 Pandemic and Denied Boarding

Legal Issues and Passenger Screening.

H1N1 and Aircraft Cabin Air.

SUPER 80 tailcone?

It's the right shape.

Application for Asylum

Out of the 2nd, via Courthousenews.

Excused Absences for H1N1

Well, Yes, Virginia, you might be on to something there, but let's think about this for a minute. . .wouldn't it be better to allow employees to call in sick BEFORE they expose their colleagues and customers.

Fear, yes, . . .but of what?

Conceivably, one could set this off by seeing one's wife and one's girlfriend in the terminal at the same time.

PBS and Pandemic

Pandemic. It is unfortunate that by the broadcast date, December 14, 2009; half of those vulnerable will already be dead.

It is no accident that when they replace your heart valve, it's with a pig's.

A Public Health Emergency Exists

In fact, we are so freaked out about it, that we are going to authorize the use of an untested (in humans) drug to treat it. . . .

Steps.

Commercial Pilot Age Limits

GAO Study.