Health and Safety for time left sitting on the tarmac.
Dec 16th, 2014, 12:35 PM
#1
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Health and Safety for time left sitting on the tarmac.
Etihad boarded us on to our flight in Abu Dhabi and then we sat there for 7 hours because of fog. After the first 4 hours they said we couldn't get off because of the sheer faff of going through security and boarding.
Then after another two hours they did let us off. By now the crew was out of hours.
I've found some Health and Safety guidelines for the US but would like to know what applies in Abu Dhabi. Can anyone help please?
Then after another two hours they did let us off. By now the crew was out of hours.
I've found some Health and Safety guidelines for the US but would like to know what applies in Abu Dhabi. Can anyone help please?
Dec 17th, 2014, 01:50 PM
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Frances, only 53 minutes elapsed between your first and second posts. It's likely that most people haven't seen your question in such a short time.
It's also very unclear what you're asking. Whose health and safety? Passengers? Cabin crew (you raise the timing-out issue)? The plane flying in fog? Yours for sitting on the tarmac? Explain a little better what you want to know.
In the end, I doubt anyone here will be an expert on UAE flight regulations. Have you tried Googling for the info?
It's also very unclear what you're asking. Whose health and safety? Passengers? Cabin crew (you raise the timing-out issue)? The plane flying in fog? Yours for sitting on the tarmac? Explain a little better what you want to know.
In the end, I doubt anyone here will be an expert on UAE flight regulations. Have you tried Googling for the info?
Dec 17th, 2014, 02:39 PM
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No I haven't tried googling relating to UAE but I turned up US Regs on my first foray. I shall do, but I want to answer your questions.
The health and safety is that of passengers as a result of being on the tarmac in a plane ready to go. The reason I ask is that I developed a dreadful headache soon after we took off . This was totally extraordinary for me as I don't suffer from headaches unless they are cheap red wine shaped ( in which case its no surprise!). Apart from being unable to move due to the pain I thought no more of it until after we returned home I started to think over the whole experience.
Then I found reference to headaches due to air containing fumes particularly in the rear of the cabin( we were in seats 41 K and H). This made far more sense than an unexplained headache in those circumstances.
If it is recognised that fumes can cause this then sitting in them on the tarmac will obviously expose you to them for longer than if we'd been offloaded.
The safety of passengers in flight or taking off in those circumstances was covered by the fact that the airport was closed due to fog and that the crew hours were going to be and in fact were complied with.
Etihad don't have the time to deal with my query!"Due to the large number of people affected we were unable to provide a more personalised service to our guests"
The health and safety is that of passengers as a result of being on the tarmac in a plane ready to go. The reason I ask is that I developed a dreadful headache soon after we took off . This was totally extraordinary for me as I don't suffer from headaches unless they are cheap red wine shaped ( in which case its no surprise!). Apart from being unable to move due to the pain I thought no more of it until after we returned home I started to think over the whole experience.
Then I found reference to headaches due to air containing fumes particularly in the rear of the cabin( we were in seats 41 K and H). This made far more sense than an unexplained headache in those circumstances.
If it is recognised that fumes can cause this then sitting in them on the tarmac will obviously expose you to them for longer than if we'd been offloaded.
The safety of passengers in flight or taking off in those circumstances was covered by the fact that the airport was closed due to fog and that the crew hours were going to be and in fact were complied with.
Etihad don't have the time to deal with my query!"Due to the large number of people affected we were unable to provide a more personalised service to our guests"
Dec 17th, 2014, 04:11 PM
#6
my guess would be that you are out of luck. Even US airlines will not do much when problems are weather related. It certainly would have been nice if they'd let you off sooner in the ordeal though.
Dec 17th, 2014, 06:50 PM
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Oops. It would help if I looked at the dates and not just the times. I'm sorry, Frances.
Thanks for the added explanation. I would never have guessed any of that from your first post.
I still say no one here will likely know UAE regulation governing such situations. What are you looking for from Etihad?
Thanks for the added explanation. I would never have guessed any of that from your first post.
I still say no one here will likely know UAE regulation governing such situations. What are you looking for from Etihad?
Dec 17th, 2014, 07:44 PM
#8
Flyertalk is where you find the airline experts. I don't imagine you will find rules in other countries to be the same as the US.
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/etiha...had-guest-692/
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/etiha...had-guest-692/
Dec 18th, 2014, 08:38 AM
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Unfortunately, once the plane moves off the gate, the pilot has complete charge of everything including the passengers. Some passengers who have become upset when stuck on the plane have ended up being arrested for wanting/trying to disembark. A pilot is like a ship's captain in that s/he has absolute authority. So be careful about getting 'really angry' gail. The only one likely to suffer is you.
Your question to me is a legal question Frances and as such does not really belong on a travel forum although I can understand you asking here. But to really get any kind of informed opinions, you would need to consult a lawyer.
Since you survived the ordeal, I can only surmise your reason for asking is to determine whether you can sue the airline or not. That isn't a question to ask here.
You could start some research here though: https://www.google.ca/?gfe_rd=cr&ei=...rmac+delay+law
This kind of situation is not that unusual and is known specifically as 'tarmac delay'. As you will see from the link above, airlines have specific policies for dealing with it.
Your question to me is a legal question Frances and as such does not really belong on a travel forum although I can understand you asking here. But to really get any kind of informed opinions, you would need to consult a lawyer.
Since you survived the ordeal, I can only surmise your reason for asking is to determine whether you can sue the airline or not. That isn't a question to ask here.
You could start some research here though: https://www.google.ca/?gfe_rd=cr&ei=...rmac+delay+law
This kind of situation is not that unusual and is known specifically as 'tarmac delay'. As you will see from the link above, airlines have specific policies for dealing with it.
Dec 18th, 2014, 09:43 AM
#11
>>>Your question to me is a legal question Frances and as such does not really belong on a travel forum although I can understand you asking here. But to really get any kind of informed opinions, you would need to consult a lawyer.
Dec 18th, 2014, 02:07 PM
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Flyertalk is NOT a forum for legal advice kybourbon. While there are plenty of posters there who THINK they know the laws, unless one is a lawyer with experience in this field, their advice is no more valid than another traveller's advice.
Generally speaking, an airline offers contingency plans for 'tarmac delays' ONLY when required to by the country their plane is in at the time. If you look at the etihad site you will see they list a plan ONLY for the usa.
http://www.etihad.com/en-us/legal/terms-and-conditions/
If you check their Conditons of Carriage elsewhere than on their USA site, you will see no mention of 'tarmac delays'.
http://www.etihad.com/en/legal/conditions-of-carriage/
So bottom line, there is no coverage/liability outside of a USA airport. But that is simply MY opinion and I am not a lawyer versed in this area of law. Therefore, if you really feel you have something worth pursuing (ie. long term health issues as a result of breathing the recirculated air you mention)then talk to a lawyer, NOT any travel forum whether it be this one, Flyertalk or any other.
Generally speaking, an airline offers contingency plans for 'tarmac delays' ONLY when required to by the country their plane is in at the time. If you look at the etihad site you will see they list a plan ONLY for the usa.
http://www.etihad.com/en-us/legal/terms-and-conditions/
If you check their Conditons of Carriage elsewhere than on their USA site, you will see no mention of 'tarmac delays'.
http://www.etihad.com/en/legal/conditions-of-carriage/
So bottom line, there is no coverage/liability outside of a USA airport. But that is simply MY opinion and I am not a lawyer versed in this area of law. Therefore, if you really feel you have something worth pursuing (ie. long term health issues as a result of breathing the recirculated air you mention)then talk to a lawyer, NOT any travel forum whether it be this one, Flyertalk or any other.
Jan 10th, 2015, 03:07 AM
#14
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I didn't pursue this any further here as it appeared to take on a life of its own .
For those who are still interested in my original question, there are further incidences on the link referred to by kybourbon above.
For those who are still interested in my original question, there are further incidences on the link referred to by kybourbon above.
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