Political Quotes

“I rise to introduce the Air Travelers' Fair Treatment Act of 2000. Air travel is an increasingly unpleasant and stressful experience. Anyone who flies much at all knows that airports are crowded, flights too often delayed or canceled without explanation, ticket prices are unpredictable and hard to figure out, passengers are more unruly and occasionally violent. Monday's edition of the Washington Post included a front-page story reporting that delays and cancellations are at an all-time high. According to Time Magazine, the number of air-rage incidents reported by flight crews from 66 in 1997, to 534 last year. It doesn't take a great leap of faith to see a relationship between the two. Last year, Congress passed my 'air rage' bill that increased penalties on passengers who commit acts that threaten the health or safety of other passengers or jeopardize the safety of the flight. That was a good bill, that I think will help passengers and airlines alike to reduce the amount of stress associated with flying. But punishing unruly passengers is only half of the solution, because unruly passengers are not the only source of stress in air travel. Air rage is not only a cause, but a symptom, of stress. The airlines have cut corners in recent years in ways that make traveling by air more and more difficult and unpleasant for customers.”