=20 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- This article was sent to you by someone who found it on SFGate. The original article can be found on SFGate.com here: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=3D/c/a/2006/01/15/TRGOHGLO2S= 1.DTL --------------------------------------------------------------------- Sunday, January 15, 2006 (SF Chronicle) Scanty protection for stranded fliers renewed Ed Perkins Congress has extended through next November the law requiring surviving airlines to carry travelers with tickets from any line that fails. This protection leaves much to be desired, but it's better than the chaos that might otherwise result. And though the outlook for the airline industry as a whole is looking up, U.S. travelers still face the possibility that at least one big line might fail. The basics of the legal requirement remains as last year: -- A surviving U.S.-based scheduled airline must honor a failed line's ticket for no more than an additional $50 each way, plus international departure fees, if any. -- Surviving airlines may offer only standby travel and are not required to provide firm reservations. -- Travelers on a failed line have seven days to get on a standby list if their airline fails within three days of their scheduled trips; they have 60 days if their scheduled trip is more than three days after their initial airline's failure. -- The requirement applies to frequent-flier tickets as well as paid tickets, but not necessarily in the same class of service. -- Although the law requires surviving airlines to carry failed-line travelers only on the same itinerary, surviving airlines can't refuse to accept a ticket for a nonstop flight if the only option is a connection. And a traveler may use reasonable alternate airports (Oakland or San Jose for San Francisco; La Guardia for JFK). The law has not yet been tested in a real failure, and its consumer protection element is pretty weak. The main focus is on preserving travelers' ticket investments rather than preserving their trips. With load factors on many lines in the range of 80 percent, standby travel will be iffy and could delay your travel by several days. Many stranded travelers will have no realistic alternative but to buy replacement tickets. The law specifies the $50 standby option as a minimum but doesn't preclu= de surviving lines from offering other options as well. Some of the big airlines might offer alternatives that would generate more than $50 per ticket in revenue but still help stranded travelers. Possibilities include waiving the advance-purchase and other restrictions on the lowest-fare tickets for stranded travelers, or offering a "trade-in" allowance on a failed line's ticket toward a new ticket with a firm reservation. Despite the somewhat improved outlook for airline finances, airline failure is still a distinct possibility. Independence Air folded in early January after failing to obtain additional financing. And despite continued concessions from employees and lessors, big lines are still very shaky. Currently, the bearish financial sources are zeroing in on Delta and Northwest, although other big lines are not exempt. Among the smaller lines, ATA continues to look shaky. Failure, however, is the gloomiest scenario. More likely are buyouts, mergers and other "solutions" that could postpone failure for months or even years. And those arrangements are more likely to result in downsizing than in shutdowns. Regardless of the law's extension -- and despite the odds against it -- the complete failure of a big airline would be immensely disruptive. If you're caught, all you can do is follow the crowd and get on a standby list as soon as you can, or buy a new ticket if your trip is urgent. E-mail syndicated writer Ed Perkins at eperkins@xxxxxxxxx --------------= -------------------------------------------------------- Copyright 2006 SF Chronicle