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US Airways fined $140,000 for unfairly bumping passengers
The US Dept. of Transportation has fined US Airways $140,000 for violating a number of regulations in the way they handle bumping passengers from overbooked flights.The fine came last month. In agreeing to the penalty, US Airways avoids further litigation for the violations, the DOT says.
What did the airline do wrong, exactly? Violated the department's over-sales rule, 14 CFR Part 250, from July 2007 to July 2008.
Huh?
Basically, the DOT nailed the airline for:
- Failing to solicit volunteers before bumping passengers
- Failing to give said bumped passengers written notice
- Failing to give bumped passengers timely redress, i.e. monetary compensation and/or another flight
In paying the fine, US Airways is not admitting to or denying any mistakes, the DOT says.
Here's part of the DOT's finding.
Thanks to Moody75.
These women weren't unfairly bumping passengers ... but they should still be fined!
Filed under: Airlines
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)
Macdaddy Jan 7th 2009 2:07PM
Its about time the government starts paying more attention to its citizens and quit catering to the incompetence of our airlines !
Alan Jan 8th 2009 1:32AM
BOO HOO. The airlines have become buses with wings. They transport us safely to our destinations sometimes with delays but we usually wind up getting there close to on time. If you are unable to cope with delays and inconveniences of the modern airline industry then get in your car and drive!!! No one forces you to buy an airline ticket.
pete Jan 7th 2009 2:25PM
the gov fines them and gets their money but what about the ppl that got shafted.
Proacman Jan 7th 2009 3:15PM
That is why I will never fly US Scare. Used to take them to Florida and each trip meant another horror story. All problems had one thing in common - their employees don't care about their customers.
MATTHEW CHINCHINIAN Jan 7th 2009 6:31PM
YOU ARE RIGHT THEIR EMPLOYEES ARE RUDE
ONE FLIGHT NOT TO LONG AGO,i THOUGHT
THE STEWADRES WERE GOING TO HAVE A CAT FIGHT
Richard Jan 7th 2009 3:32PM
Typical upper management response to "retrain". They (upper management) initiated the process and when they got caught, blamed the ground crew for misunderstanding. It appears by the fine that the "misunderstanding" was wide spread. Another airline was caught not delivering delayed baggage to the passenger and making them come to the airport to pick them up. When they (upper management) got caught, they claimed that "all" of their station managers misunderstood the procedure.
tuba545 Jan 7th 2009 3:30PM
I flew US Airways on my way home from Richmond to Albany, and i didnt have a problem with them until i hit my layover in Lagaurdia airport, they delayed my flight 5 TIMES BEFORE they cancelled it, and then they didnt tell us that our flight was cancelled.
Matt Jan 7th 2009 3:50PM
Sounds like US Air just did this to avoid any lawsuit from the passengers. I traveled on over 50 flights in 2008... Delays and bumping got to be commonplace. I'm lucky that I live in the DC area and could fly into one of 3 area airports to divert / re-route. Get with it airlines - you're going down like the US auto industry.
Byron Jan 7th 2009 3:55PM
A friend of mine bought three tickets for her and her two young daughters (5 & 9) and selected her seats. When she arrived for the flight she was informed her seats were given away as they were over booked. How can they give away something you have already paid for and are there to accept.
TheManEl Jan 7th 2009 3:56PM
I would fly more if the airlines were not so arrogant.
If I can drive it in a reasonable amount of time, I will do it everytime instead of having to subject myself to the airline's arrogance and the failure of the FAA to upgrade the systems that keep causing more delays.
Both the airlines and the FAA do not want to accept responsibility for their failures.
SkyKing Jan 7th 2009 4:04PM
I am so sick to death of listening to you people whine and complain about the state of the airlines, and what they've done to shaft you over.
People listen, you've done it to yourselves..........
YOU WANTED CHEAP TICKETS AND YOU'VE GOTTEN WHAT YOU PAID FOR. OVERWORKED UNDERPAID EMPLOYEES, MOST OF WHOM REALLY DON'T CARE ABOUT YOU BECAUSE ALL YOU DO IS COMPLAIN AND TRY TO SCAM YOUR WAY TO FREEBEES, UPGRADES AND FREE TICKETS.
On top of that they know that you lie while you're scamming, all they have to do is look into your ticket record.
Yes, upper management is to blame for alot of the miseries of flying these days, but you yourselves are to blame for a lot more of today's flying misery.
The next time you fly think about how you treat the employees you come in contact with.
Do you smile and respond to the crew when they greet you, or do you grunt or simply ignore them as you turn the corner borading the plane while on your mobile, nearly knocking the flight attendant over with your oversized "carry-on".
An old addage applies here so appropriately, "You catch more flies with honey than vinegar"
Think about that the next time you fly and want the 1950's and 1960's era treatment for your fast food airfare across the country.
Signed airline spouse
Robin Jan 7th 2009 4:37PM
AMEN!!!! Thank you for poting, I could not have said it better!!!!!!
Macdaddy Jan 7th 2009 5:55PM
YOU MEAN AIRLINE LOUSE !
c Jan 7th 2009 7:42PM
I don't really know how to respond in that i fly monthly (i guess not really a frequent flyer) and i have a very sunny disposition. i do always say hello, have a nice day and thank you. i know that it behooves me to have a carry on that fits. i plan my flights between 3 and 6 months and assign seats for the 6 people in my party. yes, i have 4 children and because they are so well behaved, they often put adults passengers to shame, and ALWAYS are are complemented by the crew. i have had a non-stop flight become a connecting flight, and i have had non-weather cancellations 3 times from us air in the last 3 years (twice after leaving for the aiport), not to mention the weather delays/cancellations that cannot be helped. i have found that even when being very nice, while the ground crew is very helpful (i only ask that we get 3 sets of 2 seats so that none of my little ones are alone), they are snippy. i am sure that it is due to all of the other passengers bitching, but while i am being pleasant in a situation that makes my day much harder, don't take your companies policy out on me. jet blue and delta are so much better as customer service providers that after this past sunday my husband (who does travel 1 - 2 times per WEEK), and our family (who go 1st class with no kids, and sometimes with...........so "cheaping out" is not the issue) have decided that we want to be treated with respect and will no longer fly us airways. it could just be dumb luck that our experiences are so one sided, but it is too many times to be just cooincidence. respect on BOTH sides of the counter is what is needed, and i feel that is lacking in the us air ground crew, from the customer service, to ticketing, to the gate agents. i am sorry your spouse has to deal with the miserable people, but maybe they are miserable because they are soooo frustrated with the way they are treated by the majority of the employees.
mad Jan 7th 2009 10:10PM
crock of crap I was nice and friendly and polite and got crapped on more than when I am a bit*ch
rob Jan 7th 2009 10:38PM
Amen, Sister. As an airline employee I am sick of all the complaining,pissing and whinning of the travelling public when they "Don't get their way". There are a lot of decent people we serve on a DAILY basis but it's the schemers, liars, fabricators and the ignorant that REALLY PISS ME OFF! People want to pay the lowest possible fare, get upgraded to F/C (on what, your looks?) and drink themselves silly and be fed a 5Star meal........and think they can say, act and do anything they want. I don't condone OVERSELLING of flights but it's the business passenger (one's that usually don't pay for their travel or the cancellation fees when they CHANGE THEIR PLANS) that necessitate the oversells and rollover effects. Many people have NO BUSINESS stepping on a plane because they are clueless......throw them a customs document or landing card on an Int'l Flight and they will prove your point E-V-E-R-Y time. Point, set, match.
David Jan 7th 2009 11:49PM
Actually, the fault lies with Jimmy Carter and deregulation.
Always Believe Jan 8th 2009 1:00AM
While you have a point....get over yourself! Not everyone who flies cheaps out, lies and expects free upgrades!
I am disgusted with the 'customer service' industries, particularly the airlines....United (via US AIR) cancelled my parents/son's CHRISTMAS DAY flight...of course, none of us found out until the night before when I CALLED THE AIRLINE because the flight information wasn't showing up online. Now, I know travel in and out of O'Hare was if'y over the holiday, but the flight wasn't cancelled because of weather. It was cancelled...just because...because they no longer wanted to fly that route. In fact, as of the night before the flight, they already assigned the flight number to a different route!!! Now excuse me, but that isn't asking too much. They booked and paid for their flight 6 weeks earlier. And within that six weeks the airline decides they don't want to fly that route at that time ON A FRICKIN HOLIDAY and oh, by the way, they don't need to tell anyone that already paid for their flight or make other arrangements for them. It took 3 phone calls and over an hour to get my parents their money refunded. I re-booked them on Southwest. I will NEVER EVER fly United (or affiliates) again. The last time I personally flew United (and affiliates), my kids and I all had our boarding passes with seat assignments and the airline secretly decided to move my daughter somewhere else. We had to wait forever to get the seating/boarding pass straightened out and then STILL had to battle for her seat. Guess it was more important to seat an unaccompanied minor all the way in the back of the plane in the middle of a family and move 1 of the family members to a single seat 10 rows up.
Now....as for the 'cheap'....how bout honoring our military with a customary military discount??? United/US Air will only do so on flight paths/times of THEIR choosing. Because our servicemembers have all the time in the world and can go home to see their families anytime they want. Nice. Of course, American adds $200 to the military fare...so there is no penalty if the ticket needs to be changed. Uh-huh. Because if the servicemember gets a change of orders, the airline wouldn't have to waive the penalty.
I don't fly as much as I used to and you can bet I'll be flying less and less the more the airlines screw their customers....I don't care how much the ticket costs.
Erin Jan 7th 2009 4:56PM
Sounds like they need to start applying TQM in their business practices and that applies to other companies as well.
Sandra Jan 7th 2009 5:09PM
My husband and myself flew to Las Vegas last February on US Air. When leaving Vegas for Yuma the flight was overbooked.
Our flight was to leave at 9 in the morning, they tried to bump us off the Yuma flight and then they said we could fly out that night at midnight. That would have been over 14 hour + layover. They offered nothing else. Needless to say I pitched a fit and they did seat us on that 9 o'clock plane. However, they were very rude. When I reached AZ., I went to the US Air customer service. They appoligized and offered us a new flight and or a hotel room. I am glad this airlines got fined and I will never fly US Air again.