FAA: the administrator of inconvenience?

James C. May, president and CEO of the Air Transport Association (ATA), continued to speak out against the "Passenger Bill of Rights" concept in testimony April 20, 2007 before the Aviation Subcommittee of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.

Recent delays (excessive delays!) where passengers sat in aircraft on the ground for hours have led some to call for a "Passenger Bill of Rights" that seeks to prevent the recurrence of such events. Some elected officials have further acted to legislate such a Bill of Rights. In his testimony, May stated:

No passenger likes a delayed flight, but what they like even less is not being able to get to their destinations at all... The proposed hard limit on ground delays will force airlines to inconvenience planeloads of people to satisfy the demand of just one passenger to deplane. We do not think this is good customer service.

He went on to say:

Congress cannot legislate good weather or the best way to respond to bad weather because every situation is unique. Instead, we call on Congress to reduce flight delays by authorizing the transformation to a satellite-based ATC system that will help relieve the traffic jam in our skies that frustrates millions of passengers each year. We cannot allow the FAA to be the administrator of inconvenience.

In general, if natural (market) forces can control a given situation, then legislation designed to accomplish the same will, at best, match the natural force. The greater likelihood, however, is that the legislated solution will under-perform the natural force.

Here we have consumers making market choices, no? If some airline keeps me captive for 6 hours on the ground, I'm likely to select another carrier the next time. And the time after that, and after that. That should be enough pressure.

Or am I being too simple minded?


ATA News Release: ATA Says Passenger Bill Will Not Improve Customer Service

ATA against passenger bill of rights

James C. May, president and CEO of the Air Transport Association (ATA), testified before the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation on the topic of proposed "Passenger Bill of Rights" legislation. The ATA feels this concept brings more harm then help.

The proposed legislation will force airlines to inconvenience most passengers to satisfy the demand of just one who wishes to deplane. Congress cannot legislate good weather or the best way to respond to bad weather because every situation is unique. Airlines need the flexibility to deal with each delay situation individually to help ensure that the fewest people possible are inconvenienced.

May stated that airlines are highly motivated to provide on-time delivery of passengers, certainly don't control the weather, and actually have a very good record:

According to Department of Transportation reporting procedures, 36 out of more than seven million flights experienced extended delays of more than five hours in 2006 – just five ten-thousandths of a percent.

The ATA is a trade association for U.S. airlines.

Resources:

ATA news release: Airlines Say Passenger Bill Will Increase Customer Inconvenience

ATA's written testimony

American Airlines looking for more women

More woman travelers, that is. According to Airwise News in American Airlines Seeks More Female Flyers:

American Airlines says it can boost revenue by USD$94 million a year by tailoring some of its services to the growing number of women travelers.

Part of their strategy to do that is a webpage that targets women. It took a bit of hunting to find it, but I did find Women Travelers Connected at http://www.aa.com/women. The page is self-described as:

the airline industry's first web page dedicated to connecting women who travel, and an example of American's commitment to the growing women's market.

This web page is about you – our valued customer. We've listened to women like you and recognized the need to provide additional information tailored to your business and pleasure travel needs and lifestyle.

We also want to welcome you to the American Airlines customer community and invite you to share insights, travel tips and stories...

You'll find the usual reservations links, special offers, AAdvantage promotions and offers, but also women's lifestyle and interest stories.

Do contrails cause global warning?

I'm not sure, and maybe we don't really know, but over at Earth & Sky there is an interesting piece titled Contrails' effect on warming "big question mark."

Experts say that, today, all of aviation accounts for about two percent of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions.

Some "scientists" think contrails contribute to trapping heat in the earth's atmosphere. Patrick Minnis from NASA’s Langley Research Center is quoted:

Their impact is still a big question mark. We’re pretty sure that they cause warming, but whether that warming it negligible or whether it’s greater than we expect from the greenhouse gases like CO2 and ozone that are produced by the aircraft exhaust, we’re not sure.

Already some readers are posting opinions on this subject. If you are qualified, maybe you'd like to contribute to the discussion over at Earth & Sky. (If you feel strongly in another direction, please keep it constructive, even if the aero-phobes don't.) This was my first visit to that site, but I have to say it seems quite informative.