Lawmakers protest long tarmac delays for flyers
NEW YORK - NEW YORK (AP) — A six-hour tarmac wait for some air travelers has two New York legislators calling for a law protecting flyers from having to wait out delays in the cramped quarters of an airplane.
U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer (SHOO'-mer) and New York State Assemblyman Michael Gianaris (Jee-ah-NEHR'-rihs) called for the passage of the federal bill on Sunday.
They say the law would ensure that travelers won't be unnecessarily trapped on airplanes for excessive periods of time without adequate food, water or restrooms.
On Friday, 100 passengers bound for Minnesota waited six hours on a John F. Kennedy International Airport tarmac before their plane took off.
The lawmakers say 52 percent of extreme U.S. air delays are flights coming in and out of New York City-area airports.
Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
