WA Lawmakers Consider ‘Bill Of Rights’ For Airline Passengers

OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) — An advocate for airline passengers told state lawmakers a pretty scary story Tuesday – the time she was stuck inside a smelly airplane for more than 9 hours.

Kate Hanni, of Napa, California, is telling her story as part of efforts to pass a “passenger’s bill of rights” for airline consumers.

Last year, New York was the first state to pass a passengers’ bill of rights. Now, Washington and several other states are hoping to do the same.

The bill calls for airlines to provide food, water, clean toilets and fresh air to passengers stuck on the ground for three hours or more.

It also requires airlines to post a list of all flights delayed 30 minutes or more on their Web sites. Airlines would also have to refund 150 percent of the ticket price if a flight is delayed more than 12 hours.

Hanni is the founder of the Coalition for an Airline Passengers’ Bill of Rights. She says the organization has more than 21,000 members nationwide – including 2,600 people from Washington state.