MilesBuzz! - accomodating passengers of failing airlines

This morning on NPR I heard that the new intelligence bill has a provision about a requirement to accomodate passengers holding tickets on a failing airline (if space available). Does anyone have details on this? With several airlines on the brink this could be important. Thanks.

This morning on NPR I heard that the new intelligence bill has a provision about a requirement to accomodate passengers holding tickets on a failing airline (if space available). Does anyone have details on this? With several airlines on the brink this could be important. Thanks.I believe the story mentioned a $50 fee that pax would pay in the event their carrier failed, and that the provision was "buried" in the intelligence bill.

Did they mention which version of the bill? I looked up what I thought were the conference reports for H.R.10 (both volumes) and S.2845 on Thomas (about 4MB) and pored over every instance of the terms "carrier," "airline," "fare," "ticket," "passenger"; no such provision although they do mandate airlines to offer bereavement fares.

Looks like the fee was raised to $50. I just read about it here (I'm new, so I'm hoping this link works):

http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=domesticNews&storyID=7033600

The old law was $25 per flight, this is reported as $50 per round trip. Maybe cheaper with connections, etc.

btw, same conversation going on in Newsstand: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=378579

Did they mention which version of the bill? I looked up what I thought were the conference reports for H.R.10 (both volumes) and S.2845 on Thomas (about 4MB) and pored over every instance of the terms "carrier," "airline," "fare," "ticket," "passenger"; no such provision although they do mandate airlines to offer bereavement fares.

Thanks for your comments. I think I found the actual text. Nice that there is some type of standard for this situation.

http://www.house.gov/rules/s2845confrept.pdf

SEC. 8404. EXTENSION OF REQUIREMENT FOR AIR CARRIERS TO
HONOR TICKETS FOR SUSPENDED AIR PASSENGER SERVICE.
Section 145(c) of the Aviation and Transportation Security Act
(49 U.S.C. 40101 note) is amended by striking ‘‘more than’’ and all
that follows and inserting ‘‘after November 19, 2005.’’.
And the House agree to the same.

This has nothing to do with the protecting the consumer and everything to proctect certain credit card companies.

This has nothing to do with the protecting the consumer and everything to proctect certain credit card companies.

Are you saying that the MBNA and Capital One lobbyists held their own? ;)