Airlines Consider Suing to Prevent Congestion Fees
Bomb Parts Found in Suitcase in Orlando
Airline Maintenance Catches Eye of Congress
Travelers Over 60 Now Ride Free on English Buses
Celebrities Get Red Carpet Treatment at Airports
AIRLINES CONSIDER SUING TO PREVENT CONGESTION FEES – BusinessWeek
The Air Transport Association, the mouthpiece for the major airlines, said that the Transportation Department has no authority to impose congestion pricing models. Further, it indicated that the airline industry may sue the department in hopes of preventing it from allowing major airports to charge higher landing fees during peak travel times. “These actions are legally indefensible,” ATA President James May wrote in a letter to DOT Secretary Mary Peters.
A spokesperson for DOT, however, countered those claims and said the agency does, in fact, have the legal authority to allow airports to charge airlines higher landing fees during congested travel times. The policy intends to encourage airlines to schedule flights more evenly during the day. As capacity increases at New Jersey’s Newark Liberty Airport and John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, the government plans on auctioning the newly-available slots.
Link: BusinessWeek
BOMB PARTS FOUND IN PASSENGER SUITCASE AT ORLANDO INTERNATIONAL – Reuters
When Kevin Brown, a 32-year old Jamaican, was asked “Are you carrying any hazardous materials, firearms or explosives in your luggage?” his answer, if he ever got to give one, probably would have been a blatant lie. Upon trying to check his bags at an Orlando International Airport on April 2, Brown was arrested when officials found ingredients for a pipe bomb in his bags. FBI agent Kelly Boaz says that two galvanized pipes, end caps with holes drilled in them, two prescription bottles containing air gun pellets, a model rocket igniter, batteries, lighters, lighter fluid and two bottles of nitromethane all were found in Brown’s possession. Brown claims that he intended to use the materials once he landed in Jamaica. Consequently, a section of the airport was evacuated for a few hours, and multiple delays resulted. The FBI continues to delve into Brown’s identity as his court hearings begin.
Link: Reuters
AIRLINE MAINTENANCE CATCHES EYE OF CONGRESS – The Washington Post
Recent occurrences in the airline industry finally have caught the attention of Congress. Just after Southwest Airlines was called out for failing to make critical security checks in a timely manner, US Airways had a 20-foot chunk of wing break off over Maryland, which apparently was due to faulty bundlings of wire on the plane’s interior. These instances have inspired Rep. James L. Oberstar (D-Minn), chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, to speak out against what he has called “a cozy relationship between the FAA and airlines and a lack of an enforcement mind-set” by regulators. Oberstar will be holding a hearing today to discuss the matters further. Meanwhile, the FAA will be releasing a study that notes a “very, very high compliance rate” of airline safety directives—and rightly so. Since 2001 there has been only one “major” U.S. airline fatal crash.
Link: Washington Post
CELEBS GET RED CARPET TREATMENT AT AIRPORTS – The Wall Street Journal
Imagine a red carpet rolled out for you with super-special treatment as you arrive at the airport for your flight. You may think elite-level frequent fliers receive nifty perks and a considerable amount of attention from airlines, but these services don’t even come close to glitzy “star” treatment. Even today, despite loads of cost-cutting and decreased service, airlines provide celebrities with “special service” staffers who help these glamorous individuals speed like lightning through airports and onto planes, or arrange for them to exit through back doors to their limos. Actually concealed behind hidden, unmarked doors, special rooms offer solace for sports heroes, movie stars, politicians, and other big shots. Two private firms, Airport Assistance Worldwide and LJR & Associates, offer services like the aforementioned to the rich and famous, but also to the public.
Link: The Wall Street Journal
TRAVELERS OVER 60 RIDE ON BUSES IN ENGLAND FOR FREE – Daily Telegraph
A new bus pass scheme in England will allow those over 60 to travel on buses for free. Eleven million people over 60, including the disabled, will be able to take a bus anywhere in England after 9:30 a.m. during weekdays and anytime on weekends and bank holidays at no cost. Councils in seaside areas, however, are concerned that the Government will not be able to fund the scheme. “It’s great for older people but will leave many councils in the areas where they are travelling to bear much of the costs. Authorities along the coastline or in places popular with visitors could be forced to cut meals on wheels to pay for visiting pensioners’ free bus travel,” according to David Sparks, chairman of the Local Government Association Regeneration and Transport Board. The Government promised nearly $430 million in grants to pay for it, but some councils believe the grants won’t cover all of the costs.
Link: Telegraph (UK)
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