ExpressJet Kidnaps 47 Passengers

It's been awhile since the latest over-the-top airline customer service screw-up, so to make up for lost time ExpressJet went all out and forcibly kept 47 passengers on a small commuter plane for more than nine hours.

Way to go ExpressJet and for taking Continental down with you -- Continental actually markets and books the flight operated by ExpressJet, its regional partner.

According to the ExpressJet staff at the time of the entrapment, airline regulations prevented them from allowing passengers off the plane when it was diverted from Rochester, MN to Twin Cities, MN. ExpressJet said passengers were not allowed off because screening staff had already gone home for the night and without being screened passengers are not allowed in the airport. Crew, however, were allowed off because they exceeded the amount of time they were permitted to work. Wait, doesn't than mean the airplane crew weren't screened?

I love the thinking behind this "no exceptions" action. The plane was diverted because of bad weather, no one on the plane knew ahead of time the flight would be diverted to Rochester, so any terrorist with a plan to damage the Rochester airport would have to have been psychic! Plus, weren't they screened before getting on the plane. Was whoever who was in charge afraid somebody had picked up a smuggled gun onboard the airplane?

But here's where the blame game begins. ExpressJet blamed the airport saying it couldn't get permission to let passengers get off and go into the airport. The airport says that's not true and passengers would have been allowed in.

To add to the fun, when complaints and questions first started coming in to Continental, the larger airline wouldn't comment and directed people to ExpressJet. Continental has since done an about face and officially apologized saying the service was unacceptable, offered compensation to passengers and says its working closely with ExpressJet to figure out what went wrong.

And wrong it was as according to Continental policy -- adopted last year in response to several well publicized tarmac delay disasters -- no passenger may be kept onboard a plane for more than three hours without being offered the opportunity to deplane.

The US Transportation Department is of course demanding answers, though I don't know why. Legally, airlines can do whatever they want with their passengers. In spite of the fact that an airline bill of rights bill has been introduced to Congress several times, and even been debated, Congress never actually acts on it. Even in the face of blatant disregard for passengers' well-being. I guess airlines really do line the pockets of most politicians.

And the worst part of all of it is, we passengers have no choice but to accept shoddy treatment. Until an alternative form of transportation, that can offer the same travel time as airplanes, is invented we're all stuck. Airlines can treat us like crap (and they do, and then wonder what happened to brand loyalty!), charge us whatever they want for every little "service" they provide, and all we can do is... nothing.