http://consumerist.com/2007/06/incontinental-airlines.html

The pilot and people who made THAT decision should be in Jail. Period.

That incident alone was enough to put them out of the airline business, but this one should have nailed it. Let's put all the fine decision makers in pooh geysers for 11 hours with no escape then see how much the fine is.

Three things bothered me that night. The first was the florescent lights. A bandana over my eyes solved that. The second was the riding floor polisher that one of the staff drove around for the first hour I tried to sleep. Once the other passengers cleared out of the airport, he was the only other person I saw all night. The last thing was the distance from my bench to the bathroom. Even though I was alone, the fear of Murphy's law made me haul my suitcase with me each time I had to go. I certainly wasn't in a position to cause real harm. Most parts of the terminal were locked down tight.

On top of it, if the flight crew had any b--ls, they could have invoked Part 91 of the Federal Code, which explicitly says that "The Pilot in Command is the final authority over the operation of the aircraft." So, the Captain calls the agent over the company radio frequency and says, "Get these folks off my %*&%&*^ airplane, NOW! If you don't, I'll open the GD door myself and let them out on the ramp!"

Again, end of problem.

This is as much ExpressJet's problem as it is Mesaba's. They both deserve a good swift kick where it will do the most good. The agent at RSt had to have been talking to ExpressJet and Mesaba's management and dispatchers, too. Why didn't THEY step in and get those people off the plane? Those people also deserve a good kick.

As time goes on, I'm becoming more and more ashamed of my former industry...

Each airline is only paying about $100 per passenger per hour. A bargain!

The bad publicity hurt Continental much more than the fine.

I'm wondering a few things.

1, what prevented the passengers from opening the door, and going down the emergency slide and walking into the airport?

2, only 100k? that is just sad.... do the Passengers have the right to sue? ie does this settlement supersede their right to sue the airline?

1) A way for anybody to easily look up regulations for these sort of things.
2) Training on when to call the hotlines for help.

Apparently ExpressJet wanted to make the flight happen up until the crew would have worked past its limits. Obvious disregard for passenger comfort.

Mesaba's low-ranking peon didn't know the regulations and he didn't escalate the issue or find out more information from the various sources available.

I feel that the fines are just. I didn't read the breakdown on the ExpressJet/Continental fine, but the Mesaba fine is half a fine and half a "spend this much money on training" requirement. Hopefully this causes all parties involved to become more educated for the benefit of the passengers.

The only thing that seems really odd to me is why Mesaba was acting as an airline carrier when it did nothing that requires a certificate of being an airline carrier. Mesaba even said that it was doing functions other companies that are NOT airline carriers do. Surely the DOT can find that Mesaba was in violation of some other provision?

I hope the extra reimbursement for the passengers is good. :)

I'd SUE THEIR ASSES... And I agree, the $100K fine is way too low. It's not even on the radar. $1million would be a better start with $100K paid to each passenger.

I'm not kidding either - the sooner the airlines learn that there's consequences to screwing over the passengers, the faster air travel will become more comfortable. Yeah, stuff happens in travel, but within 11 hours, someone, somewhere, somehow could have figured something out to get those people off the damn plane, and onto a bus or two and over to a hotel.

IANAL but since the plane was on the ground, all they should be able to do is terminate my ticket if I decided I wanted off. They shouldn't legally be allowed to hold you. Anyone know the specifics?

If that fails, as seems likely, I'm pointing to a .PDF of the Consent Order at www.regulations.gov; the document ID (searchable) is DOT-OST-2009-0001-0029. I haven't opened it so I don't know if there's another actual report thing, but this would seem to be a starting place even if it's not the finishing one.

Also, commenters on most news websites make Youtube commenters look like Rhodes Scholars.

This isn't 'potential imprisonment,' but the real deal. You can't tell me those people would have been any less safe in a closed airport where they could lie down, walk fully erect, and possibly find vending machines. It's inexcusable treatment. Were airlines able to reach that conclusion on their own, government intervention would be a non-issue.

Better yet, screw over his grand kids while papa has to waits.

The next day there will be major FAA regulations implemented with 0 days of appeal process allowed.

Additionally, according to the article ExpressJet says their pilot made many attempts to get the passengers off the plane but was denied by the ground handlers. They say the DOT report acknowledges this, but I can't find the DOT report.

Continental should certainly refund the fare, provide some additional cash (not money that can be redeemed only with Continental), and issue a formal apology. No need for the government to get involved.

A split open baggie can foul up the rest of your trip. :)

"This is an outrageous government intrustion into the rights and freedoms of corporations to conduct business the way they see fit. It may be "inconvenient" for stranded passengers to be stuck on a plane for a few hours, but since when is it the government's job to interfere with the efficient operation of a business? This is just one more example of how knee-jerk liberalism run amok is wrecking free enterprise in this country. "

what a mo-mo. i can't believe someone thinks 11 hours stuck on a plane is a sign of "efficient operation of a business".

"The DOT correctly found that the ground handler, Mesaba Airlines, provided inaccurate information to ExpressJet causing the customers to remain onboard the aircraft. The DOT levied a $75,000 penalty against Mesaba for its actions."

If true, it sounds like Mesaba should have been fined more than Continental/ExpressJet.