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Comment by Simulacra | Hacker News Reader

I strongly disagree with the power flight attendants have been given. There is zero recourse when a flight attendant makes a decision, or more often than not, denies you something, flat out lies, or treats you like crap. You can complain to the airline but good luck with that. This new law seems to me that if you even argue with a flight attendant you're kicked off the plane and fined.

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- prohibits airlines from "bumping" passengers who've already boarded a plane; - requires airlines to refund passengers for "services they paid for but did not receive";

It seems to me these points potentially balance out some of the power that flight attendants have, however.

When have you had cause to argue with a flight attendant?

Normally I wouldn’t recommend arguing with a flight attendant but just yesterday I was on a flight from PMC - PUQ (Chile on Latam) where I and another passenger had a boarding pass with seat 16-J. Because the other person boarded first the flight attendant basically told me “too bad”. I was standing in the aisle holding up traffic with nowhere to go. I had to get pretty blunt with her to find me another seat or I would continue standing in the aisle holding up the boarding process. What do you know, after I became serious they found me another seat.

This brings up a good point: I would agree with extra penalties for disrupting behaviour while the airplane is underway, especially take off and landing. Boarding and disembarking not so much.

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