Unhappy Airline Patrons Asked to Form Group

WASHINGTON —  Airline passengers frustrated by lengthy delays, lost luggage and canceled flights were invited Thursday to unite in a new organization to fight for travelers’ rights.

Board members of Airline Passengers of America called on travelers to combine forces under the umbrella of the group, which promises to provide consumer travel services and represent passenger interests with the federal government and airline industry.

The organization was created “out of sheer necessity because today’s air traffic system is such a mess,” said J. J. Corbett, a counsel to the group and former vice president of the Airport Operators Council International.

Kept in Dark on Delays

Every day scores of passengers experience delays while waiting at check-in counters, at the departure gate and on the runway as planes stand by for clearance to take off, Corbett said. They also are frequently kept in the dark about the reasons for the delays.

Add to this the growing concern over air safety, he said, and everyone has an airline horror story.

The organization, which requires an annual membership fee of $48 a person, said it will provide a 24-hour toll-free number for emergency assistance, a baggage retrieval and complaint service and flight insurance.

Airline Passengers of America is the third group worldwide for passengers. The other two are Aviation Consumer Action Project, which was founded by consumer activist Ralph Nader, and the International Airlines Passengers Assn., based in Rotterdam.

In a related development, a House subcommittee approved a bill Thursday that would force airlines to issue monthly public reports on the quality of their service, a requirement lawmakers hope would result in fewer delays and other problems.

‘Passengers Are Outraged’

“This legislation is critically needed,” said Rep. Norman Y. Mineta (D-San Jose), chairman of the House aviation subcommittee, which passed the measure. “Airline service has deteriorated over the past year in some drastic proportions. Airline passengers are outraged. . . . “

Last month, the Transportation Department received 5,155 complaints from the public about problems in flying on U.S. airlines, compared with 843 the agency tallied in June, 1986.

The bill would require the nation’s airlines to file monthly reports with the department containing figures on delayed and canceled flights, lost and damaged baggage, and passengers who have been “bumped” off overbooked flights.