If youre flying commercial this holiday season, the Coalition for an Airline Passengers Bill of Rights (CAPBOR) wants to try and ease your misery and maybe help you win cash prizes. CAPBOR, you may recall, was founded after a series of high-profile airline passenger “strandings” in which planeloads of people were kept bottled up on the ground in airliners ill-equipped to handle the extended stay. Their idea for a passenger bill of rights has some political traction and, in the meantime, the group is offering some potentially meaningful help-and cash prizes– for those who inevitably will find themselves stranded in some form or another this holiday season. “We advocate putting the integrity, dignity and wellbeing back in air travel,” CAPBOR founder Kate Hanni said in a news release. “And to do this we are introducing our four point plan to expose the truth about airline practices and bring justice to the flying public.” Perhaps the most intriguing idea to come from the group is a hotline (1-877-FLYERS6) manned around the clock to offer stranded travelers hotel reservations, ground transportation and other services to help them weather whatever type of travel storm theyre experiencing. Major airports will also be staffed by volunteers with information for stranded passengers. But sometimes, theres not much anyone can (or will) do and thats where the cash comes in. CAPBOR is offering a total of $850 in cash prizes for the top three videos of passenger strandings. Its also offering airline employees a tip line (1-877-887-2678, caller ID blocked) to allow them to snitch on employers who they think might be stretching things a bit in terms of safety and passenger welfare. And remember, tis the season to be jolly.
