Jul
11
US House Passenger Rights Bill
Filed Under Airlines, Legislation, News | Comments Off
Leaders of the US House of Representatives have introduced legislation called the Air Service Improvement Act of 2008. This act is different from the bill stalled in the Senate in that it separates passenger rights from FAA funding.
The bill requires airlines and airports to maintain emergency plans for providing stranded customers with required services or face a $25,000-a-day fine. It would also require airlines to regularly report delay and aiport diversions. It requires the Transportation Dept. to maintain a hot line for consumer complaints and to investigate those complaints.
The bill is expected to pass, and at the same time the Senate is also preparing a similar bill. More details can be found here. Air carriers appear to think that it would be best for them to police themselves.
May
30
Fewer Air-Traffic Controllers
Filed Under Airlines, Legislation, Security | Comments Off
5 of 5 - Safety & Security Week
The bad news is that air-traffic controllers are leaving in huge numbers. These retiring controllers are leaving at the fastest rate since President Ronald Reagan fired more than 12,000 striking controllers in 1981.
To reduce the bleeding the FAA is hiring hundreds of trainees and offering bonuses of as much as $24,000 to keep controllers in their current jobs. The FAA also says that air travel has never been safer. In January 2008 we had around 11,000 controllers, a loss from the 2,801 6 years ago.
The union that represents the controllers, NATCA, National Air Traffic Controllers Association, has declared staffing emergencies at several major US airports. Union statement. It appears much of this is due to a contract dispute that has lasted since 2006.
