United Travelers Stuck At DIA Could Pursue Passengers' Bill Of Rights
DENVER (CBS4)- United Airlines passengers who experienced significant delays or canceled flights at Denver International Airport on Thursday may be eligible for recourse under federal passenger protections that were first issued in 2009.
Known as the "Passengers' Bill of Rights," the rules provide a set of guidelines commercial airlines must follow or face civil penalties for violating.
Thursday, during the first snow storm of the season in the Denver metro area, dozens of United flights departing from and arriving at DIA were delayed or cancelled. The airline told CBS4 deicing issues with a third-party contractor caused the problems, citing a lack of staffing and mechanical issues.
United passenger Kemme Keen waited hours hoping to take off for Tucson before eventually spending the night in a nearby hotel.
Many passengers tweeted their frustrations, including former Vermont Governor Howard Dean, who tweeted, "Captain reports longest deicing delay of his career… flights delayed four to five hours so far."
Aviation attorney and pilot Joseph LoRusso says many passengers may not realize they could be eligible for some form of compensation from the airline. He says federal protections require airlines provide food and water to passengers who have been waiting on a tarmac for two hours. At three hours, airlines must allow passengers to de-board.
Some passengers Thursday posted on Twitter about being told to de-board after three hours spent on the tarmac, then, say they were directed back on to the plane after de-boarding.
"The Passenger Bill of Rights is a step in the right direction," LoRusso said, "but not totally where we want it to be yet, it doesn't have the legal teeth that we see in the European Union or with international flights through the Montreal Convention."
Despite that, he says, violations to the protections could lead to compensation, such as travel vouchers, for passengers who file complaints.
"Passengers themselves can contact the carrier and provide a written complaint," LoRusso said, "and the carrier themselves has 60 days to reply to that complaint."
LoRusso also says airlines that leave passengers on tarmacs for more than three hours at a time can face federal fines of up $27,500 per passenger.
For more information on aviation consumer rights, visit the Department of Transportation's website: https://www.transportation.gov
Lauren DiSpirito reports for CBS4 News at 10 p.m. She covers breaking news and feature stories along Colorado's Front Range. Follow her on Twitter @CBS4Lauren. Share your story ideas with her here.
