The Department of Transportation's Aviation Consumer Protection division is investigating Jet Blue's handling of Flight 504, which was left for dead on a snowy tarmac in Hartford, Connecticut for seven and a half hours on Saturday. Passengers on the plane included a paraplegic from Staten Island who had to use urological supplies to relieve himself because the bathrooms were clogged, a diabetic, and several unhappy children. Good times! LiveATC.net obtained the cockpit recording, in which you can hear the pilot desperately pleading for help, at point begging: "We just need a tug and a tow bar. If you just give me a welding shop, I'd be happy to weld one myself." more ›

Yesterday's freak snow storm threw air travel along the East Coast for a loop. Flights were stopped for hours at JFK, Laguardia and Newark. And for one Newark-bound Jet Blue flight from Miami, that meant its 200 passengers were stuck on the tarmac at Bradley International in Hartford, Connecticut for eight hours. A Miami Sun-Sentinel sports writer, on his way to today's Giants game versus the Dolphins, Tweeted, "Lady on board just broke down. Like that guy who cried in his cell at the beginning of Shawshank. Can someone sneak me in Rita Hayworth?" more ›

Senator Charles Schumer had his Sunday press conference decrying prescription drug price-gouging, but since this is Columbus Day, he's having ANOTHER one today about a Long Island Rail Road passengers' bill of rights, spurred by the September 29 lightning strike that made commuting a mess. His office said it would be "similar to a passenger's bill of rights established for the airline industry, to provide baseline protections for passengers of Long Island's commuter rail system." more ›

The U.S. Department of Transportation has updated its Passenger Bill of Rights and the new rules are good for the common flyer. Highlights include the fact that, when the new rules start in a few months, airlines will not be able to keep international flights on the tarmac for more than four hours and they'll have to reimburse luggage fees for lost lost luggage. Also the amount of money you are eligible for if you are involuntarily bumped from a flight is being doubled. more ›

The longest runway at JFK Airport is officially closed for four months, and airlines are rallying against the new rule banning 3+ hour tarmac delays during the runway's rehab. JetBlue, Delta and American Airlines are asking that the rule, part of a new airline passengers' bill of rights, be lifted until construction is complete; as of April 29th they could face fines up to $27,500 per passenger if they keep the plane on the tarmac for too long. more ›

Air travelers, here's something to rejoice: The federal Department of Transportation is telling airlines that domestic passengers can only be stranded on tarmacs for three hours. According to the AP, "Under the new regulations, airlines operating domestic flights will be able only to keep passengers on board for three hours before they must be allowed to disembark a delayed flight..." more ›

On Friday, a Sun County flight to Minnesota from JFK Airport—usually a 2 1/2 hour journey—was stuck on the tarmac for six hours before take off—and now Senator Chuck Schumer and NY State Assemblyman Michael Gianaris want the U.S. government to pass the passenger bill of rights. Reports say that the flight was supposed to take off at 11 a.m., but boarding only started at noon and it didn't take off until 6 p.m.: "Sun County chief executive Stan Gadek said in a statement the airline regretted the delay and would issue refunds. Adding to the frustration, passengers said the flight crew brought out the food cart after three hours, but passengers had to pay for the items." One passenger said, "I was sitting in the 17th row, and all the food was gone." Earlier this month, a Continental Express flight sat on a Rochester, Minnesota tarmac for almost six hours—and overnight (it "smelled like diapers. It had no food and a full toilet")—prompting a Department of Transportation investigation. more ›

The City Council was expected to pass a bill of rights for passengers of livery cars today. The NY Post reported that "A placard outlining 11 rules will be installed in the back-seat area of some 40,000 for-hire cars, granting livery passengers similar rights to those already posted in yellow cabs." The rules will prohibit drivers from changing fares, but also allow passengers to be in control of noise/music, climate and cellphone use! Too bad nothing can be done about that cologne scent that permeates most cars. City Councilman Daniel Garodnick noted the importance of the bill, stating "when you get into one of these cars there is absolutely no indication of city regulation in any way and we thought that New Yorkers needed to know that this is regulated by the New York City Taxi Commission and there are rights with every trip." more ›