

Stranded at the airport? Don't forget Rule 240 - hhm
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22900119/

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joshwa
Actually, as it turns out, the Rule 240 has been phased out over the years, as
the carriers are no longer required by regulation to maintain one.

[http://www.smartertravel.com/travel-
advice/rule-240-fading-f...](http://www.smartertravel.com/travel-
advice/rule-240-fading-fast.html?id=2350024)

And, ultimately, you should look in the detailed "contract of carriage" on the
airline website (or on the back of your paper ticket, if you have one) to see
what the airline's obligations truly are.

Also, "weather" can happen anywhere in the country and still affect your
flight, even it's not where you're traveling. If your flight requires an
aircraft that is arriving from another city where there is a weather problem,
or even if there was a weather problem earlier in your city and now the
backlog of flights is greater than the number of arrivals and departures that
an airport can handle, the delays can stack up over multiple cities. The
airlines can't afford to keep equipment (and crew!) buffers at each airport to
absorb these delays.

~~~
BrandonM
Did you read the whole post? The first part of what you said almost mimics
what the author said.

~~~
joshwa
I will admit I did not read the _whole_ post. I've seen so many of these
"reporters" do their little bits about Rule 240 that they all sort of blend
together for me.'

Also, everyone should read <http://dir.salon.com/topics/ask_the_pilot/>

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dskhatri
Before anyone downmods hhm for a 'non-relevant' post, consider this: you're
flying into Mountain View (San Jose or SF) for the YCombinator interview the
day of. Say your flight gets delayed because of the 'weather' but another
airline is flying on schedule to the Bay Area.. you will remember Rule 240 and
thank HHM. :)

Too bad I couldn't use Rule 240 to argue my way into a free flight on my way
back from Novembers YC interviews.. I can picture the airline agent look all
smug and say "but sir, your flight was yesterday". Oops!

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noonespecial
Point is: Airline employees have some freedom to do some things to help you
that you might not have thought of. Ask nice and you never know what you might
get. I've been "240'ed" twice now without ever knowing this "rule", just by
asking nicely.

~~~
hhm
I had heard this before. I know a guy who commented jokingly to some of the
employees that it would be nice to sit on a first class seat (he was with
another person), at some time before entering the plane. When the time come to
enter the plane, he and the other guy were sent directly to first class
service, no further questions, nothing at all, by this employee.

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mindplunge
Yep, I invoke rule '420' when stuck at an airport

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ardit33
240 is easy to remember, just swap the two first digits of 420

