Winter seemed to be almost behind us when a snow and ice storm of unbelievable force and speed swept across the country in February. Entire interstates were shut down, hundreds of airline flights were cancelled, and somewhat infamously, some aircraft packed with passengers, including children, spent up to 11 hours sitting on the tarmac with nowhere to go and no end in sight.

The stories of air passengers stranded on planes understandably brought a wave of outrage. The public outcry yielded a quick response from the affected airlines, which updated their policies and/or created new ones for dealing with such situations. At the same time, federal lawmakers jumped into the fray and within weeks, federal legislation had been introduced in the U.S. House to mandate a passenger bill of rights.

As of this writing, that legislation is on the table, though it remains to be seen if it will get the traction it needs. Meanwhile, many of us around the country are now enjoying a taste of spring. I wonder: Will the end of winter lead us to think the worst is over for now, and become more complacent about the need to improve airline service and efficiency? I hope not.

Just days before the February storm, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) issued its Air Travel Consumer Report. That report found that both flight delays and mishandled baggage were up in 2006, compared to 2005. Yet mysteriously, passenger complaints actually went down in 2006.

Why don't we speak up - to the airlines, government, anyone who can actually enact change - when we receive less-than-excellent service? It's almost as if we have become so accustomed to air travel woes, that we've come to expect delays and poor customer service as part of the travel experience (although we draw the line when it comes to sitting on the tarmac for umpteen hours).

Of course, with all the new security rules in the last few years, it's easy to see how this might happen. Yet, those of us in the convention industry have a strong stake in the success of the airline industry. Not only do we travel frequently ourselves, but our industry relies on the ability - and willingness - of our stakeholders to fly to attend our meetings.

The more air travel becomes a hassle, the more people are going to question whether it's really worth it for them to attend a meeting. And that's not something that this industry can afford.

I'm curious whether readers are in favor of Congress enacting a passenger bill of rights, or if you think this should be left up to the airlines themselves. What are your thoughts on the proposed takeover of Delta Airlines by US Airways? There are some who say this will only lead to a wave of consolidations, leaving passengers left with fewer - more expensive and less consumer-friendly - options.

E-mail me your thoughts at deborah.sexton@pcma.org. And speak up, both with your voices and your own travel dollars, to acknowledge and reward those airlines who are making an effort to provide excellent customer service and improve the travel experience.

Deborah Sexton
President and CEO
deborah.sexton@pcma.org