DOT to Airlines: What's the Delay?

Dateline: 08/22/00 

Transportation Secretary Rodney Slater is tired of commercial air flight delays and cancellations. On Monday, he met with airline executives to figure how to fix the situation.

While the recent rash of United Airlines flights cancelled due to the carrier's labor problems seem to have brought this festering issue to a head, other airlines, as well as the FFA's aging air traffic control system are struggling mightily to remain airborne. What's the problem here?

Lots of People
Since the airline industry was de-regulated, that is removed from government control, in 1978, the number of passengers on US flights has more than doubled from 278 million per year to over 635 million last year. And, if you think lines at the gate are long now, get this: DOT expects the number of passengers to exceed one-billion per year by 2010.

Flying Along Limited Routes
The sky is infinite. You can fly anywhere, right? Well, not when it comes to commercial airplanes. The FAA's system restricts all commercial flights to specific routes, or "highways in the sky." This concept helps air controllers monitor who is where and when, greatly adding to the safety of flying. But, the "highways in the sky" often become as crowded as "freeways in the burbs," especially between the paltry few hub airports. In times of bad weather or heavy traffic, controllers temporarily close their coverage regions to new traffic, sort of like closing an interstate highway without providing a detour route. The result? Signs that change from "on time" to "delayed" at the speed of light.

Between too Few Airports
The US has 422 airports capable of handling landings, take offs and service of commercial air flights. Seems like that should be enough, but the "hubs-with-spokes" system of routing designed and favored by the airline industry has forced over half of the total US air traffic to be routed through only 17 airports. While most of the existing hub airports have expansion plans on the drawing board, almost all face opposition from local residents. Build new regional airports? Forget it. Big airports are like garbage dumps. Everybody agrees they are needed, but, "Not in my neighborhood!"

So, What Will Be Done?
Monday's two-hour, closed-door meeting resulted in little more than agreements between the Department of Transportation and the major airlines to work cooperatively in sharing responsibility for easing the woes of American air travelers.

Following the meeting, Secretary Slater stated that a new DOT tasks force would closely monitor flight on-time performance and report to him in three months.

For their part, the airlines will work to more quickly notify the FAA of flight delays, cancellations and ground-based problems at hub airports. This, according to Secretary Slater would help FAA air controllers in more quickly and efficiently routing flights into alternative available air space.

DOT and airline authorities hope that focusing their initial efforts at the frequent flight "choke points" of Boston, New York, Washington and Atlanta will result in a system-wide improvement.

However, many observers remain skeptical that cooperation between DOT and the airlines alone will be enough to solve the problem.

Former FAA chief of staff Michael Goldfarb is quoted in a CNN story of Aug. 21, 2000, as telling reporters, "Air traffic control has to be modernized. Congress has to give the monies to the agency to truly do that. So everybody has something they have to give and right now we have a culture of blame."

More ominous yet, is the statement of David Stempler, president of the Air Travelers Association. 

"If we can get together and decide (on a) path in the next five years we can avoid the gridlock we've experienced this summer," Stempler told CNN,. "Otherwise, it's going to get worse.".

Reference Links

Cooperative spirit, ambitious plans mark flight delays summit
CNN - Aug. 22, 2000

United Airlines scraps nearly 2,000 flights
CNN/AP - Aug. 8, 2000

United Airlines
Home page of the major air-carrier currently plagued by labor-relations problems.

FAA's Passenger Information Site
Is the fact that the FAA's Web site is among the slowest on the Internet a bad omen for air travelers? Once it loads, this site really has some good information for you about how the air traffic system works.

Get Airport Delay Reports from the FAA
Internet users can get near-real-time status information for 40 major U.S. airports. The FAA hopes to increase coverage to 100 airports in the future.

8 Hours Delayed by United
An 8 hour delay by United... a joke, right? NOT. From Air Travel Guide Linda Nelson.

Airline Service Levels Down
You thought it was your imagination, huh? Well it's not. The annual Airline Quality Survey was released and it validates what we all know - airlines and their service levels are not getting better! From Air Travel Guide Linda Nelson.

Air Fare Deals
Promotional deals and specials by the airlines.  If your plane does take off, Air Travel Guide Linda Nelson can save you some travel money.

Plane Trips with Kids - airports, airlines, and planes
Tips on plane trips with kids-- airports, flight delays, best airlines for kids and a fear of flying. Travel With Kids Guide Teresa Plowright has the resources for you.

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