U.S. Transportation Secretary Mary Peters and President Bush Announce New Proposals to Improve Air Travel
Source: U.S. Department of Transportation, DOT
Nov 16, 2007 - 9:58:04 AM
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Following a meeting at the White House today, President Bush and U.S.
Transportation Secretary Mary E. Peters announced several new measures to reduce
air travel delays over the upcoming holiday season. In addition, the
announcement included new rule-making proposals to increase passenger rights and
protections.
Effective immediately, Secretary Peters said, the
Department of Defense and the FAA will collaborate to open military airspace to
commercial flights, and make a series of operational adjustments - such as new
procedures that will increase the number of planes that can land at the busy JFK
and Newark airports in bad weather and implementing a moratorium on
non-essential maintenance and operations - to keep the air travel system running
at full capacity. These policy changes will increase airspace and airport
efficiency and help reduce delays caused by weather and holiday congestion, she
said.
“We are determined not to let airline delays turn holiday cheer
into runway gloom,” Secretary Peters said. “These new steps will help provide
travelers relief from hold-ups and delays.”
The Department also today
issued new proposals to increase passenger rights and protections before the
next winter travel season. These include a new proposal to require airlines to
create legally binding contingency plans for extended tarmac delays, respond to
all consumer complaints within 30 days, publish complaint information online,
and provide on-time performance information for their international flights in
addition to their domestic flights.
Secretary Peters also announced that
the Department is proposing to require airlines to include all cancelled flights
and tarmac delays in their monthly delay reports, something they aren’t
currently required to do. The Department also is issuing a second notice of
proposed rulemaking to increase the required financial compensation for
passengers involuntarily “bumped” from their flights.
“Nobody looks
forward to having their flight delayed or cancelled, but these rules will ease
uncertainty, smooth inconveniences and give travelers due compensation for their
troubles.” Secretary Peters said.
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