N.Y. Judge Upholds Air Passenger Bill of Rights
A New York judge has upheld a state law requiring airlines to provide food, water and other amenities to passengers sitting in grounded airplanes for more than three hours.
U.S. District Judge Lawrence Kahn of Albany said the law regulates passenger health and safety, and is not pre-empted by federal regulation of airline services, the Associated Press reports.
The statute requires airlines to give passengers stuck on the tarmac for more than three hours fresh air, waste removal services, and adequate food and water. Failure to comply could result in fines of up to $1,000 a passenger. The law is one the first law of its kind in the country, the New York Times reports.
The Air Transport Association is considering an appeal. The group says airlines should be regulated by the federal government rather than “50 individual states.”
