Flyers Demand Congressional Action on Regional Carriers' Safety

"Closed-Door Meetings of Washington Special Interests and 'Voluntary' Inside
Fixes Won't Cut It This Time," Says Hanni

WASHINGTON, June 10 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The nation's largest consumer
group representing airline passengers today demanded "immediate, comprehensive
and enforceable legislation" to protect the 160 million passengers of the
nation's regional airlines.

The demand came in the wake of shocking revelations at a three-day National
Transportation Safety Board inquiry about shoddy safety practices by regional
carrier Colgan Air, a subsidiary of Pinnacle Airlines, which operated
Continental flight 3407 from Newark to Buffalo on which 50 people died on
February 12. The NTSB hearing revealed that inexperienced, overworked,
poorly-paid and poorly-trained pilots may have reacted inappropriately when
the aircraft stalled after an ice buildup on the wings.

"Closed-door meetings of Washington special interests and 'voluntary' inside
fixes won't cut it this time," said FlyersRights.org Executive Director Kate
Hanni. "We've had years of FAA inaction and closed-door cozy regulation, and
it led to calamity in just a few seconds. What's needed now is for Congress to
assure the flying public that the crews of regional carriers are experienced,
well-trained, well-rested -- and better paid than if they'd taken a job
managing a Bob Evans restaurant."

Yesterday, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and FAA Administrator Randy
Babbitt suggested a "voluntary" approach to safety improvements by the
regional carriers, following "closed-door" meetings next week involving
airline industry executives and union officials.

"Airline executives and union bosses aren't the ones who risk their lives on
these flights every day. These regional carriers represent half of all U.S.
flights and carry 22% of all passengers who'll board a commercial aircraft
today. We have every right to open, transparent action by our Congress, not
handshakes between industry executives and bureaucrats behind closed doors."

FlyersRights.org is the largest airline passengers' rights association in the
U.S. with 25,000 members. Besides the FlyersRights.org website, the
organization maintains a toll-free hotline (1-877-FLYERS-6) which passengers
and airline employees can use to anonymously report breaches of health and
safety standards, if stuck on the tarmac or any airline related issues. Call
Kate Hanni for more information at (707) 337-0328 or kate@flyersrights.org

FOR BACKGROUND, SEE WASHINGTON POST STORY HERE: http://tinyurl.com/nh79dt

SOURCE FlyersRights.org

Mike Collins of FlyersRights.org, +1-202-494-6105, mikecollinspr@cox.net