The Airline Passenger Association is a product of many long days as an airline agent, with canceled flights stacking up by the minute, and many passengers finding themselves on the tail end of a vacation, stranded in an airport, miles from friends and family.
Most often these people were on their last dime, as their vacation was coming to a close. Trusting the system, and mere hours away from their next meal and a warm bed, little thought is given to allocate extra funds for an emergency, especially at the expense of cutting into the vacation budget.
Passengers are often told that their delay is due to weather or ATC, and that there is little, if anything, that the airline can or will do in their situation.
Now granted, it’s not always the airline’s fault. If they were to compensate everybody just because it rains or snows a little too hard, well…they’re broke enough as it is. We’re NOT laying blame solely on the airlines. We, as passengers, need to understand a little…but so do they!
It MUST be a mutual relationship, and if we all take time to educate ourselves a little more on airline procedures, we may understand the LEGITIMATE mishaps. We must also stand together when it just isn’t right.
Thus APA was created.
Here we can help each other. We can share our experiences, woes and plights. There are many people trying to work with both the airlines who transport us, and the governing bodies that regulate them. If we can all understand each other just a bit, the skies may truly be friendly once again.