Doesn’t an airline have to compensate me if it deliberately overbooks and my connecting flight leaves without me? I’m really angry that I missed an important meeting last week. — Livid Lizzie

Dear Lizzie: Regardless if we’re flying for business or for pleasure (what an oxymoron!), travelers know to expect the unexpected these days. Whether the grounding of so many planes last month that inconvenienced thousand of passengers or the appalling flight delays to rapidly escalating fares and/or lost luggage, and an increasing lack of forthrightness or seemingly even concern on the part of some airline employees, our airline system is, in my opinion, broken to the point of almost no return.

While most everyone has a horror story to tell, one of my acquaintances related one of the very worse I’ve ever heard. Estranged from her only sibling with whom her elderly mother lived, “Dorothy Distressed” learned that her mom died and her brother had planned an immediate burial service in their hometown, a “normal” three-hour flight away. Because of overbooking and delays, she finally arrived a full day later only to discover the sibling had cremated their mom that same morning! While I’d love to snatch Brother baldheaded, his heartlessness is really no worse than the airline’s shockingly deplorable practices. And with the smaller companies failing and the larger ones merging as behemoth monopolies, we poor consumers don’t stand a chance in the-place-where-it’s-hot-all-year-long. And how about US Airlines’ recent announcement that some of its first few aisle and window seats in COACH rows must be purchased? Before matters get even worse, it’s imperative that we all contact our senators and firmly demand that they immediately pass the Airline Passengers Bill of Rights (the House passed the measure last fall). Additionally, you can go to www.flyersrights.com and click on “Take Action.”

As it’s generally stood, an individual airline’s Contract of Carriage specifies your flying rights. Check airline Web sites to familiarize yourself with their contracts’ different parameters before taking off to the airport. With regards to overbooking, the federal government provides some relief, if you know enough to ask about it. Previously, if an airline couldn’t get you to your destination within an hour of your original schedule, it owed you cash in the amount of the face value of your ticket, up to $200; two hours late equaled $400.

Because of the recent calamities, though, Uncle Sam just upped the compensation ante. Beginning this month, the new bumping rule doubles the limit on compensation for passengers who are involuntarily bumped from their flight. According to the Department of Transportation (DOT), “Fliers who are involuntarily bumped receive up to $400 if they are rescheduled to reach their destination within two hours of their original arrival time or four hours for international flights, and up to $800 if they are not rerouted within that timeframe.” Of course, these sums don’t count for much if you still miss your loved one’s funeral.