Ted Stevens remains out of touch with Alaskan families

Stevens Claims To Stand Up For Alaskan Airline Passengers By Trying To Save 50 Cents - Votes Against Bill For Additional Rights For Alaskan Families

From a AlaskaDemocrats.org press release: This week, Senator Ted Stevens (R-AK) claimed to stand up to the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) in the Senate Commerce Committee by trying to save consumers 50 cents rather than implementing security measures. However, last week Stevens and the Republicans in the Senate blocked the Federal Airline Administration (FAA) Reauthorization Bill, which included the provision to give airline travelers additional rights.

Today, Mayor and U.S. Senate Candidate Mark Begich announced support for the bipartisan Airline Passengers' Bill of Rights. Sponsored by Senators Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and Olympia Snowe (R-ME), the legislation would protect airline passengers from becoming unnecessarily trapped on airplanes or deprived of food, water, sanitary restroom facilities, and access to medical attention.

"Alaskan families would rather their elected official's fight for their rights and safety than save 50 cents," Mark Begich said. "When a flight is delayed on the ground, passengers should be given options and information, and not be treated like cattle."

"We, the Coalition for an Airline Passengers Bill of Rights, were stunned that Senator Stevens voted against airline passengers rights last week, and our bill is again stalled in the Senate with less hope of ever having meaningful rights for airline passengers," said Kate Hanni, the Executive Director. "When I was trapped for more than 9 hours on the tarmac in our plane, and it didn't matter which side of the aisle you were on - the toilets smelled the same on both sides. Mark Begich as Senator would be a great proponent of the issue, not partisan politics, and we appreciate his support for the airline passengers' bill of rights. "

The Airline Passengers' Bill of Rights would require:

· Airlines to offer passengers the option of safely leaving a plane they have boarded once that plane has sat on the ground three hours after the plane door has closed. This option would be provided every three hours that the plane continues to sit on the ground.

· Airlines to provide passengers with necessary services such as food, potable water and adequate restroom facilities while a plane is delayed on the ground.

The bill would provide two exceptions to the three-hour option, if the pilot either reasonably believes passengers' safety or security would be at risk due to extreme weather or other emergencies or determines that the flight will depart within 30 minutes after the three hour period.

In March, a U.S. appeals court today threw out New York States airline passenger bill of rights law, citing that it would encourage different laws in every state. The U.S. Court of Appeals in Manhattan ruled that the 2007 New York State law is preempted by a 1978 U.S. statute that regulates air-carrier service.

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