How FlyersRights Started

FlyersRights was established in early 2007 when a Napa California realtor, Kate Hanni, was stranded with her husband and two children for 9 hours on the tarmac in Austin Texas along with about 10,000 others similarly situated. Kate vowed then not to let this happen again. She sought to organize other passengers to enact long stalled passenger rights legislation. After posting a little blog and petition online, 20,000 passengers quickly signed up and Kate testified at hastily called Congressional hearings.

Further research by FlyersRights then revealed that lengthy tarmac confinements by airlines were not isolated incidents, but affected 150,00-250,000 passengers annually. Such confinements were being used regularly by airlines for their commercial convenience, to prevent “passenger migration” to travel alternatives and reduce refunds.

FlyersRights then advocated for legislation that was quickly enacted in New York State and pending in other states. However, the law was immediately challenged by the airlines and overturned in court on the ground that only the US Dept. of Transportation (DOT) and Congress can regulate air travel.

FlyersRights successfully advocated for new regulation by the DOT enacted in 2010 which allows passengers the option of getting off delayed planes after 3 hours on the ground, and requires passengers be provided with adequate water, food, temperature, ventilation and working toilets after 2 hours. This rule, known as the Three Hour Rule, quickly eliminated 98% of tarmac confinements at no measurable added cancellations or delays.

The Three Hour Rule was further strengthened in 2012 when long proposed Truth in Scheduling was enacted to eliminate chronically delayed and deceptively scheduled flights.

Today, with more than 60,000 members and growing, FlyersRights is the largest non-profit airline passenger organization. It is the only passenger organization that operates a toll free hotline for airline passengers, publishes a weekly newsletter, and operates a staffed office for advocacy in Washington, DC. 

FlyersRights represents airline passengers on the FAA Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Committee, regularly files rulemaking petitions and formal comments with the DOT and FAA to advance passenger rights and interests, and files court actions in defense of airline passengers.