Visit www.regulationroom.org to add your 2¢ on proposed aviation consumer protections

Earlier this month, I blogged about the rule DOT proposed adding new protections to help ensure that airline passengers can expect reasonable treatment when they fly.

This proposed rulemaking is in addition to the new tarmac delay and customer service rules that took effect in April.

Now, since those rules took effect, we've had many passengers asking how they are supposed to report lengthy tarmac delays.

First, I want to take this opportunity to let people know that passengers are not required to report these delays; it is the responsibility of the air carrier to report extended tarmac delays.

Second, I want to make sure everyone knows that if they have any sort of complaint about the airlines, they can register their concerns at on our user-friendly Aviation Consumer Protection and Enforcement website.

In the same early June blog post, I also wrote that: "We've added this proposed rule to our user-friendly Regulation Room, an online partnership with Cornell eRulemaking that makes your participation that much easier."

Today, I want to remind readers that the Regulation Room is still open for comment on this proposed rule, and it will remain open for another 45 days.

We really are waiting to hear from you.

The number of people who have visited the www.regulationroom.org site--4,500--has been impressive. And we've had over 400 comments posted already about this proposed rule. Many visitors are returning to the site over and over again to read the latest comments and add their responses.

That's why the tagline for the Regulation Room is "people talking to people talking to government."

I'm very excited about this. First, because the more good input we receive, the better the final rule will be. That means consumers will be better protected.

And second, because--through the Cornell e-Rulemaking Initiative's website--we're witnessing participatory democracy in action. I hope that the more people visit the site, even just to read what others are saying, the more that participation will become irresistible!

Oh, by the way, I just want to point out that the number of visitors to the site from my own blog is lagging embarrassingly behind the number of visitors from other starting points. So, if it's all the same to you, I'd like to see readers of this blog step up and represent!

All kidding aside, I don't care where you click from--greater participation makes our democracy work better, and more public input makes our final rules more effective.

So I'll say it again: we are still waiting to hear from the most important aviation consumer--you.

Comments

[Michael E. Bailey]

The erulemaking site is a great way to increase participation. It gives people input into the decision making processWe need more programs like this one. And as I do some flying on commercial planes, the increased passenger protections already given and proposed are much appreciated. The one thing that would be great to make erulemaking even better is to develop a way to use it without having to turn the cookie blocker on the computer off. Best wishes, Michael E. Bailey.

[Mary Ann Siegel]

I am writing regarding the recent articles about peanuts on airplanes. I have 2 grandchildren who are allergic to peanuts. 1 is very allergic(throat closes, etc.) could never go on a plane until we were able to request peanut free flight from Continental Airlines. Flight from Cleveland to Austin, Tx. was great. Repres.from airline came out to talk to us before flight, etc. No prob. going down. BUT flight back was another matter! They lost the request for peanut free flight, and stewardess refused to go peanut free. said we could take flight the next day. Since we had to be home, we took the flight, and my grandson had to keep his nose & mouth covered the entire flight. She handed out bags of peanuts, and the smell was in the plane! When I wrote to complain, I was told the first repres.on flight down was wrong, and she should not have kept peanuts off plane, and may be reprimanded for making exception for him. And the person on returning flight was correct in her actions! Needless to say, we do not use Continental Airlines anymore. I guess what I really want to say, is that there should not be any peanuts on planes (the ones in bags to eat-snack type) If they are in cookies, candy, the smell doesn't affect the air like the loose peanuts in bags. and also it doesn't matter if you request peanut-free flights, because the request will be lost! Same thing happened when I took my granddaughter to Seattle-request was lost, but no peanuts were served either way!

[H. Porter]

I have twin 5 year old granddaughters who are highly allergic to peanuts. Ingestion of peanuts have in the past triggered such a severe allergic reaction in the girls that it caused and 911 was called. Antiepileptic shock in severe cases can be fatal. The girls are required to have an epinephrine emergency kit with them at all times. Should a reaction occur the process is to jam the syringe into the thigh to release the epinephrine, a traumatic experience for a child.

The DOT has the opportunity to be a leader. In lieu of waiting for a death to occur on a flight and reacting, as is usually the government’s process, DOT can be proactive by banning peanuts on all flights. I fly United mostly and several flights have announced that there is a person on board with a severe peanut allergy and the flight attendant requested that no peanuts opened or eaten during the flight. This is a step in the right direction and DOT could at least make an announcement a requirement for all airlines.

[F. Teifeld]

So what's next after peanuts? Cheap perfume, body odor, wool clothing, someones carry on durian fruit? Where does it end?

[L. M.]

I think it's an outrage that a small minority of people with peanut allergies (about 1.5%) should dictate policy for the rest of the majority that does not have the problem. If you have allergies then buy your own snacks and bring them on a plane. Peanuts are a great source of protein while alternatives like Pretzles only provide salt and have no nutritional value. Should we impose a rule against pretzles too because their salt may cause high blood pressure? How about other snacks causing you to become obese and get diabetes?

Let's not get ridiculous with peanuts. I will bring my own either as whole nuts or in a sandwich as a spread if the airlines don't provide them so I would suggest if you're that senstive to peanuts don't fly!

[RWS]

The world's population can't be restrained and constricted by the many and various disorders and sensitivities of hundreds of different allergies that affect only a rare minority of people, unfortunately. Those with any sort of respiratory-borne allergens should take their own precautions (ie face masks etc) rather than expecting the entire general population to be restricted on not only peanut exposure but a host of other airborne aggravators. I suffer from severe mold and mildew allergies which trigger severe asthma and respiratory issues which at times become life-threatening. Just being in an airplane or especially around air conditioning units or refrigeration units which omit the aggravators can trigger such an attack. It's my own issue, I protect against being affected and avoid potential exposure but I can't expect everyone to live without refrigeration or air conditioning.

[L. Sullivan]

Okay, for those of you who are lucky enough not to have life threatening allergies or a family member who does, let me ask you this: You get on the airplane and the flight crew says,
"This plane may or may not have poisonous gas on it. We cannot guarantee that none of the passengers brought any poisonous gas with them today. We can't ask people to give up their right to bring poisonous gas on board the airplane."
That's what it's like for us! Just breathing it in could be fatal!An immediate reaction requiring medical attention and an emergency landing! We didn't choose it, we were born with it. Would you like us to drive to Califonia from Boston because someone wanted a bag of nuts? Life and death should take precedence over loss of snack choices for a few hours.

[Allyson]

Three of the five people in my family have severe peanut allergies. When we traveled to my brother's wedding in June, we took a flight from Boston to Midway then on to Columbus, OH. Within minutes of boarding the flight, my six year old daughter started having an allergic reaction. She got hives wherever her skin came into contact with the seat of the plane. She was quite uncomfortable, but thankfully responded quickly to the medicine we carry with us for such reaction. There were no peanuts served on our first flight. Unfortunately, on the second flight, peanuts were served. Within minutes of the peanuts being served, both my husband and daughter experienced trouble breathing. Again we were able to handle the reaction with the medications that we had brought with us but both of them were very uncomfortable throughout the flight. We were extremely lucky on both of those flights that their reactions were able to be controlled without using epinephrine. I can tell you that it is unbearable to watch your child struggle to breathe and incredible that it is something that is completely preventable. I actually enjoy peanuts and I understand that people like to consume them. I am happy to abstain from peanuts on all flights so that people don't have life threatening reactions and I would hope that others would feel the same. It is not as simple as bringing your own snacks. The peanut dust is in the air(which is recycled) and the residue is all over the plane. There is no avoiding it. I hope that the department of transportation will go ahead and provide the best option for the safety of all the people with peanut allergies by banning peanuts on all flights.

[Ruth Masiewicz]

Peanuts are among the very few actual "foods" still being served on planes. The rest are purely carbs and salt (cookies, pretzels). Nuts are a daily part of my diet, so I often carry some in my carry on bag. Are they going to ban that next? I say the folks who are that sensitive to any foods should decline what the airline is serving, and stop trying to eliminate the choices for the majority of the population.

[Lisa]

I am deeply saddened to read the comments objecting to forgoing a snack to protect the life of a human being. We have truly become a detached society when our fellow humans refuse to try to have some empathy or understanding for the severe and sudden suffocation which can be brought on by the inhalation of peanut dust. Why fly? Well in my case, I am in a clinical trial for stage 4 lung cancer. I don't know how much time I have left on this earth and it is important to me that my family travel with me if I fly back and forth for treatment. No one is asking for heroic self sacrifice - seriously - just lighten up! There are a few serious airborn allergies in the world. If you have the power to make life easier or safer for another person than just make the choice to do that. This is not politics for anyone but the peanut farmers and those they support. Its about humanity. If you saw a child choking would you try to save them?

[L. Sullivan]

In reply to Ruth Masiewicz, if you took out those nut and started eating them, a person with a nut allergy on the airplane would have a life threatening allergic reaction. Epi-pen medication only lasts 15-20 minutes and the person would need immediate medical attention-an emergency landing of the plane and a major inconveinience for all on board. If someone brough a bag of poison on the plane, you would want them to keep it closed-it's like that for those of us with allegies.

[Diane Vittoria]

Air travel is horrible. The passengers are the airlines most important commodity and should be treated as such. Instead, they are treated like they don't exist. The first checked in bag should be free. Allocated weight should be 60 lbs. since we cannot pack liquids in carry-ons. There should not be a charge for one piece of carry-on per person. Meals should be served on ALL flights which are 3 or more hours long. Snacks should be served on flights less than 3 hours (excluding peanuts due to people's allergies). Pillows and blankets should be provided at no cost.

[Betty J. Brown]

Deliver me. It's hard to believe people are outraged about not getting that tiny bag of peanuts. Surely it can't be life altering for them. However having peanut dust on a plane could be for others. I guess they are trying to prove we really aren't a christin nation.

[LAURA WHITT]

I WELCOME THE OPPORTUNITY TO SUPPORT THE PROPOSED CHANGES TO AIRLINE TICKET PRICING AND THE NEED FOR MORE INFORMATION ON WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN WE FLY, I HAVE A PET THAT I WANT TO FLY WITH ME IN THE CABIN AND, BECAUSE I AM DISABLED I WOULD LIKE A SEAT ASSIGNMENT NEAR THE FRONT OF THE AIRCRAFT - ROW 23 IS A BIT TOO FAR TO GET SEATED. THANK YOU FOR ANY AND ALL HELP YOU CAN GIVE TO MAKE IT EASIER. LAURA

[Michael B. Walker]

Charging for luggage that is with in the weight limit has been a hi-way robbery ploy by the airlines and should be regulated out by the goverment. If they want to raise fares than do it directly without coming up with a under the table move to stick the public.
Air lines should post the total amount of the fares including all taxes.

[David E. Hadland,Sr]

I have two complaints with airlines. First: Why do they get away with charging so much for animals that have to be under the seat? Second: I can understand that they need narrow seats in order to pack the planes so they can make more money buit why don't they use larger seats and charge more. I'm pretty sure people would prefer a more comfortanle flight like we use to get in the not too distant past.

[J. D. Rowell]

I agree with RWS, posted June 30. Those with allergies, such as to peanuts, who demand that the vast majority who do not have such allergies, should take precautions, as recommended by their doctors. Such persons should required to have a doctor's signed statement that his patient's allergy is such that peanuts, for example, can't be served to anyone while his patient is on board an airplane. I am 84 and have "been flying" since the DC-3s, and even before. Only very recently (this year) have I been on a plane where serving of peanuts to anyone was an issue. I know persons who exaggerate their allergies a great deal to get attention, or to get control over others. I suspect that is already happening in some, though, of course, not all cases. But this sort of regulation about serving peanuts would only make this sort of behavior even worse.

[L. Sullivan]

This is in reply to JD Rodwell. The health of our nation's people has changed n many many ways over the years. People live longer, obesity has risen dramatically, autism has increased from 1 in 900 to 1 in 150 children born. Allergies are also on the rise, with many more children diagnosed now. Studies speculate as to causes. enviornmental, medical, etc. The fact is allergies are REAL whether you've heard of them or not. To chldren and adults, nuts nearby can send them into real medical distress....a "Behavior" no one can control.

[Tracey]

My five year-old daughter has severe allergies, peanut among them. She has had reactions twice from peanuts that resulted in her needing to be injected with epi-pens and then treated immediately by emergency personnel and taken to the hospital where she had to stay overnight. As the allergens work through her system, they continue to cause secondary and sometimes multiple reactions. She attends school, goes to parks and other places where other people have peanuts, and she has been mostly fine. The concern I have with flying is that we are stuck in a plane, thousands of feet in the air, unable to get her the medical attention that she would need if she did have a reaction.

I have no problem with people eating peanuts. I eat them myself when I am away from her. But when we have to travel somewhere in a timely manner, and flying is our only option, it is a scary experience. I know some flights are long, but if my daughter can go a whole flight without eating peanuts, I would suspect that everyone else on the plane just might be able to pull it off as well. There are other snack foods with protein and just as much nutritional benefit. We fly knowing that if she does have a reaction, I will be injecting her every ten to fifteen minutes in the leg with a needle that looks like it should be used on a horse it's so large, and even then it may not be enough. The last reaction she had, the epi-pen wasn't enough to keep her airways from closing and she had to be intubated.

I know this is long. And I know people get very emotional over this issue. I do. I can't imagine something happening to my daughter. But I look at this issue, and on one side I see my vibrant little kid, and on the other I see people not wanting to wait a few hours to eat a package of peanuts.

[Margot]

I would not mind if peanuts were banned on flights, but for heaven's sake, can't we have something better than boring and salty pretzels? On an Alaska flight there were actually good pretzels, coated with cinnamon and sugar. Or other kinds of nuts or crackers would be okay too.

My biggest peeve on flights is the ergonomically bad fitting seats. I do not find them very comfortable. Our backs deserve better. Does anyone agree?

[Angie]

Let's begin with the easiest and simplest change the airlines can make to please their constituents: Abolish peanuts. Then perhaps they can address delays, loopholes that deny passengers adequate compensation for being stranded in airports, truth in advertising fares, and the myriad of other inconveniencies that plague those of us who wish we'd taken the bus...only there wasn't one!

[Joan Marie McCarroll]

My son in highly allergic to peanuts. Five years ago, we traveled from Long Island to Las Vegas on Southwest. We advised the airlines prior to the flight of my son's allergy and they did not serve peanuts on the flight but, believe it or not, they had to announce and apologize to everyone else on the plane that they could not serve peanuts because of an allergic passenger. We took the first flight out and we had no problem. However, on the flight from Las Vegas to New York, we took a flight late in the day. We also advised the airline prior to the flight and they again did not serve peanuts. Within one hour of take off, my son began to get hives all over his body and continued to cough through the entire flight. It was the worst trip of my life. Even though there were no peanuts served, the peanut dust was being circulated through the plane and was on the window shade, the drop down table, etc. We had an epi-pen with us at the time but were hesitant to use it. He has not been on a southwest flight since. We only travel Jet Blue now and carry Benadryl and the epi pen with us at all times. I sent a letter to Southwest and they basically said that peanuts were their signature snack and could not deprive their customers of the snack and suggested that we fly early morning flights when the planes were clean or if not possible, to wipe down all surfaces that would come in contact with my son.

My son only had one other reaction when he was barely two years old. He was 12 at the time of that flight and we had no idea how sensitive he was to peanuts by just touching its residue or breathing in its dust.

People don't realize that this is not an exaggerated allergy. It is life-threatening.

[gigi1313]

here's a deal for ya... you eat your nuts on a flight and i'll bring my nut-allergic child on the same flight and when he goes anaphylactic, we all get to make an emergency landing halfway to our destination... i get to see the ER of an area hospital and you try to get to your destination on time... deal?!

jftr, it's the lack of new air that makes nuts (and nut dust) on planes dangerous... people with allergies are not trying to legislate what you can and cannot eat or do... and have no problem w/you eating your pb&j at the terminal where the air circulates, but once we're all enclosed in that metal tube hurtling thru the sky, it's gotta be all for one and one for all...

oh, and btw, peanut allergies are covered in the Americans with Disabilities Act...

[gigi1313]

to joan marie... we fly southwest all the time... a few times per year minimum and find their policy to be among the best... they recommend first flight of the day, and also refrain from passing out peanuts, make the announcement asking passengers not to open other nut-containing snacks, and allow us to pre-board in order to wipe down our row w/clorox wipes, to be sure the area is safe... using those precautions, your child should be safe...

[Greg Cardenas]

Peanuts should not be allowed on airplanes at all. The problem is not merely ingesting a peanut, it is the peanut dust that may be in the air, on the seat of the plane, or on any other surface that one may come in contact with. The reaction is swift, often times life threatening, and requires immeadiate medical attention. Airplanes could serve another type of nut, like almonds. I am tired of hearing the nutritional value argument. First of all, you are on an airplane, what sort of high end snack are you expecting? Secondly, those peanuts are usually salted. Finally, when your plane has to make an emergency landing because there is a person on your flight who has gone into Anaphlactic Shock, will the bag of peanuts be worth the purchase of a new ticket to you or (and I realize that some of you do not consider this when you are weighing out the pro's and con's of this problem) the cost of a human life? Is the quality of your flight really affected by having a bag of salty peanuts? I think, somehow, peanuts are disposible on airplanes because they may kill your fellow passengers.