The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
“AIRLINE PASSENGER FAIRNESS ACT OF 1999” mentioning the U.S. Dept. of Transportation was published in the Senate section on pages S2342-S2343 on March 4, 1999.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
AIRLINE PASSENGER FAIRNESS ACT OF 1999
Mr. FEINGOLD. Mr. President, I rise today to voice my strong support for the Airline Passenger Fairness Act. I commend Senators Wyden and McCain for bringing this crucial consumer issue before the Senate in a bipartisan manner. I am proud to be a co-sponsor of this bill.
Mr. President, I'm sure that each and every one of us in this body has experienced his or her fair share of frustration with air travel. Whether it's late flights, bad meals, long lines, or lost luggage, we've all gotten the short end of the stick at one point or another.
When it comes to air travel, we are all consumers. And this bill assures the protection of consumer interests. The Airline Passenger Fairness Act would ensure that passengers have the information that they need to make informed choices in their air travel plans. Given the recent spate of airlines' customer relations debacles, I hope this bill will also encourage some of them to treat their customers with more respect.
Mr. President, financial statements and the stock market don't lie. Most airlines have been experiencing years of exploding growth and record profits. Unfortunately, some employees and consumers have not shared in the boom. While this bill doesn't address all consumer concerns, it does move us forward in a constructive manner.
Mr. President, it's probably about time air travelers' interests received our attention. According to the Department of Transportation, consumer complaints about air travel shot up by more than 25 percent last year. Those complaints run the gamut from ephemeral ticket pricing; being sold a ticket on already oversold flights; lost luggage; and flight delays, changes, and cancellations. This bill addresses these issues and more.
Perhaps of more importance, this bill does so without forcing airlines to compile information that they don't already keep. The bill simply allows air travelers the right to that basic information and the ability to make informed decisions.
Mr. President, I am fortunate to represent and be a customer of the nation's premier airline when it comes to customer satisfaction. For years, Midwest Express Airlines has enjoyed some of the highest airline customer satisfaction ratings in the country. For those of my colleagues who haven't had the pleasure to ride on Midwest Express, I, and I'm sure I speak for the senior Senator from Wisconsin, encourage you to do so.
Mr. President, Midwest Express maintains those superlative ratings because it already incorporates some of the provisions spelled out in this bill. Midwest Express already tries to notify its travelers if it anticipates a flight delay, flight change, or flight cancellation. The airline already attempts to make information on oversold flights available to its customers. Midwest Express already makes efforts to allow its customers access to frequent flyer program information.
These are some of the reasons the airline has been awarded the Consumer Reports Travel Letter Best Airline Award every year from 1992 to 1998; Zagat Airline Survey's #1 Domestic Airline award in 1994 and 1996; Travel & Leisure's World's Best Awards for Best Domestic Airline in 1997 and 1998; and Conde Nast Traveler's Business Travel Awards for Best U.S. Airline in 1998, among many awards.
Mr. President, other airlines should see this bill as a challenge to meet the lofty standards set by airlines like Midwest Express.
Mr. President, air travel is on the rise, but so are air travel complaints. This bill responds to the complaints by giving our constituents access to the information they need to make wise choices in air travel. Airlines truly concerned about their customers should already be making these efforts. As I noted, one Wisconsin-based airline is already making the effort. I urge my colleagues to join in this effort.
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