With the avowed intent of bringing about a federal ‘Passenger Bill of Rights,’ there’s a new consumer group making the rounds: the Association for Airline Passenger Rights, or AAPR.

The tax-exempt, non-profit’s executive director is Brandon M. Macsata, who contends, “Air travelers in the United States are completely fed-up with almost every aspect o the airline industry today.” Macsata asserts flyers are tired of new surcharges, sitting on tarmacs, cancelled flights, and “poor customer service.”

One way to change things, says the AAPR, is with a federal Passenger Bill of Rights.

It’s instructive to note that at least one carrier, discount airline JetBlue, has already implemented its own in-house bill of rights. Aware of the flack carriers took in 2007 when an ice storm paralyzed airports in the Northeast, some carriers now proactively cancel flights far ahead of time – telling flyers of the action in time to make alternate arrangements.

One of the problems, however, in getting on alternate flights is the diminished number of airplanes flying today. During the petroleum crunch of last year, U.S. airlines cut seats by 10 — 15 percent, which left far fewer airplanes to take on the load of stranded passengers.

©Cheapflights Ltd  Jerry Chandler