Ngenkathi iCongress ihoxisa izintengo zezindiza, imizila, namashejuli ngo-1978, iCongress yalondoloza isibopho se-DOT sokuqinisekisa ukuthi amanani nezindleko zamazwe ngamazwe zihlala "zinengqondo." Lesi simiso esingaziwa somthetho wase-US sisho ukuthi i-FAA kufanele yehlise noma yiziphi izindleko zoshintsho ezingenangqondo futhi ezingahlobene nezindleko. Bheka 49 USC § 41501, DOT-OST-2015-0031 kokuthi kanuni.gov.
UkuBhebhana ufake isaziso sokudlulisa icala ngokumelene noMnyango Wezokuthutha wase-US (DOT) eNkantolo Yezifunda YamaCala yase-DC ngenxa yokwenqaba kwawo ukulawula izindleko zoshintsho lwamazwe ngamazwe - Flyers Rights Education Fund v. US Department of Transportation (CADC).
Abagibeli baswele amandla uma kuziwa lezi izimali zokushintsha ezibizayo lokho kungafinyelela ku-$500 noma ngaphezulu. Ukuhlanganiswa kwasekhaya kanye nemifelandawonye yamazwe ngamazwe embonini yezindiza kuhlangene ukunikeza abagibeli izinketho ezimbalwa lapho behamba. Njengoba inzuzo yezindiza ikhula, izinkampani zezindiza ziyaqhubeka nokwenyusa amanani okushintsha ngamakhulu amadola kuyilapho zimemezela obala ukuthi lezi zimali zikhiqiza inzuzo enkulu.
Ngo-2015, i-FlyersRights.org yafaka isicelo sokwenza umthetho ifuna ukuthi i-DOT isebenzise uMthetho Wokucabangela ngezindleko zoshintsho ezindizeni zamazwe ngamazwe. Ngomhla lu-1 kuFebhuwari 2019, i-DOT yasichitha lesi sicelo. Ekwenqabeni ukulawula naphezu koMthetho Wokucabangela, i-DOT yathi ithembele "emandleni ezimakethe" ukuphatha zonke izintengo nenqubomgomo yokuhamba emoyeni. Bheka i-DOT-OST-2015-0031-0035. I-FlyersRights.org imelwe ekudlulisweni kwesinqumo senkantolo ngu-Joseph Sandler, Esq. kaSandler Reiff Lamb Rosenstein & Birkenstock PC yaseWashington, DC
U-Paul Hudson, uMongameli we-FlyersRights.org, ubonise eminyakeni embalwa edlule, "I-DOT ibonise ikhono elikhulu lokuvumela izinkampani zezindiza nabakhiqizi bezindiza ukuthi banqume izinqubomgomo zokuphoqelela. I-DOT ishaye indiva umthetho ngokwehluleka ukuqinisekisa ukuthi izindleko zoshintsho lwamazwe ngamazwe zinengqondo futhi zihlobene nezindleko. Ngesikhathi lapho izindiza zigcwala ngokugcwele, izinkampani zezindiza ziphoqa abagibeli ukuthi bakhokhe amakhulu amadola ukuze bashintshe izindiza ukuze inkampani yezindiza ibuyele emuva futhi idayise ithikithi elifanayo, ngokuvamile ngentengo ephezulu. Izinkampani zezindiza zifinyelela ezincwadini zamasheke zabagibeli ngoba iDOT yenqaba ukulandela umthetho.”
I-FlyersRights.org isanda kuyisa i-FAA enkantolo yenhlangano ngenxa yokwenqatshwa kwesicelo sayo sokunquma usayizi wesihlalo sango-2015. Ukuqulwa kwecala kwezihlalo kukhulise ukucutshungulwa kobudlelwano be-FAA ne-Boeing nabanye abakhiqizi bezindiza, kuholele ekutheni i-Congressional igunyaze izilinganiso zobukhulu bezihlalo kanye nokubuyekeza izinqubo zesitifiketi, futhi sekwenze ukuba Uphenyo Olujwayelekile Lomhloli We-DOT ukuba lubheke kwe-FAA yokuhlola ukuhlolwa kokuphuma kwezimo eziphuthumayo kanye nophenyo. isitifiketi.
U-Paul Hudson, ilungu leKomidi Lokweluleka Ngezokulawula Kwezindiza ze-FAA kusukela ngo-1993, waphawula “I-DOT kanye ne-FAA balokhu befakazela, kaninginingi, ukuthi bazovumela i-Boeing nezinkampani zezindiza ukuthi zinqumele inqubomgomo kokubili ezindaweni zokuphepha nezokuvikela abathengi. Kusukela ekuzibeni ukukhathazeka nge-Boeing 737 MAX 8 kanye ne-787 Dreamliner, ukuya ekuhlolweni kokuphuma kwezimo eziphuthumayo kwabakhiqizi bezitembu zenjoloba, kuya ekunciphiseni ukuphoqelelwa kokuvikelwa kwabathengi kuze kube sezingeni eliphansi elingokomlando, i-DOT inikezele ngomsebenzi wayo wokuqinisekisa ukuhamba komoya okuphephile kanye nokuvikela okufanele kwabagibeli.”
LOKHO ONGAKUTHATHE KULESI SIHLOKO:
- The seat litigation has increased scrutiny on the FAA's relationship with Boeing and other airplane manufacturers, has led to Congressional mandates to establish seat size standards and to review certification procedures, and has prompted a DOT Inspector General Investigation into the FAA's oversight of emergency evacuation testing and certification.
- At a time when flights are routinely filled to capacity, airlines extort passengers into paying hundreds of dollars to change flights so that the airline can go back and sell the same ticket, usually at a higher price.
- From ignoring concerns over the Boeing 737 MAX 8 and 787 Dreamliner, to rubber stamping manufacturers' emergency evacuation testing, to decreasing enforcement of consumer protections to historical lows, the DOT has surrendered its duty to ensure safe air travel and reasonable protections for passengers.
