New Rules Make the Skies Friendlier

The little people could have complained about airline service until the end of time but it took celebrity attention for things to change.

Musician Dave Carroll hoped to draw attention to luggage-handling and customer-service problems when he created three viral videos about United Airlines treatment of his guitar. Oliver Beale, a high-flying advertising executive, took exception to the food and entertainment provided by Virgin Airlines and wrote a complaint letter to CEO Richard Branson that was emailed around the world.

In addition to the high-profile rants, complaints to the Better Business Bureau by common traveler -- primarily about lost luggage, flight delays and cancellations -- increased more than 170 percent in the last five years. 

Here are the new regulations effective April 29 by the U.S. Department of Transportation: 

1. Customer Complaints
Air carriers must acknowledge your complaint in 30 days and deal with the issue in 60 days.

2. Tardy Takeoffs
The DOT can fine air carriers for domestic flights more than 30 minutes late on a minimum of half its trips each month for four months in a row.

3. Tarmac Trouble
Airlines are required to provide adequate food (no gourmet food clubs here, btw) and drinkable water in two hours of the delay. Lavatories also must available and, more important, working. Planes delayed more than three hours on the tarmac must return to the gate and allow the passengers to leave.

4. Website Wait Times
Airlines must explain on their website why and how many flights were delayed for every domestic flight they manage. The Wall Street Journal reports, however, that the airline industry is asking for an extension on this specific issue due to technology constraints.

5. Explaining Passenger Rights
Airlines have to post a customer service plan on their website outlining policies for "overbooking, baggage handling and handling customer complaints," among other problems.

Photo by Thomas Hawk