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Hudson River Plane Crash Survivors Say Airline's Being Stingy
By
John Del Signore
Published Jan 30, 2009
Modified Jan 30, 2009
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By
John Del Signore
Published Jan 30, 2009
Modified Jan 30, 2009
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U.S. Airways is real sorry about that plane crash in the Hudson River, and since they know the surviving passengers are probably eager to board an airplane again, they've given them a whole year of free upgrades! But some among the lucky 150 say that's not good enough, and they should be able to fly first class on U.S. Airways for the duration of their lives.
The airline did send out $5,000 checks for lost luggage and other expenses, and the company said passengers will be able to make claims for more expenses in the future. And the first-class "Chairman's Preferred status" membership gives each passenger and a companion first-class domestic travel when seats are available, an upgrade to Europe or Hawaii, and priority check-in. But the VIP treatment ends in March 2010, and as the wife of one survivor points out, "My husband is not going to want to get on a plane for at least a year."
The Post sought out yesterday's U.S. Airways passengers for their opinions. Antonio Sales, a 20-year-old traveling with the University of South Carolina's track team, assessed, "That's more of an 'OK, you're not dead, I'll give you something to hold on to.' It's not enough at all. You're going to crash me into the water, and you're going to tell me all I get is an upgrade?" Not even a bag of peanuts.
Some Flight 1549 survivors have already contacted lawyers, while other passengers like Barry Leonard, of Charlotte, dissent, telling the Post, "US Airways has bent over backwards to help everyone on the flight." Speaking of Flight 1549, here's the game.
Tagged
Airbus A320
airline
first class
flight 1549
upgrades
John Del Signore
Originally from the Albany area, John Del Signore has called NYC home since 1995. In addition to his thousands of meticulously-crafted bespoke blog posts for Gothamist, his writing has also been published in The Awl, Deadspin, The Nervous Breakdown, and performed at The Brick Theater in Brooklyn.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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