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American Morning

Congress Debates Airport Delays

Aired May 10, 2001 - 10:20   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Let's turn now from finances to frustrations. Air travelers have slogged through record flight delays and increasingly crowded skies. But how could some relief now appear on the horizon? That would be some good news. Lawmakers turn their attention today to the problem and some possible solutions.

Our Bob Franken joining us from Reagan National Airport in Washington -- Bob, good morning again.

BOB FRANKEN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning.

And there are many who believe that what Congress is contemplating is really too little too late. But at least Congress is contemplating getting involved in this. The question is whether that's a good thing or a bad thing. The airlines believe that by interfering with voluntary efforts to improve on the delay matter, the Congress is really just muddying the water and causing the possibility that the costs will go up and that the situation will get only worse.

It's already horrible. Last year, says the inspector general of the Department of Transportation, one in four flights, one in four was either delayed, canceled or diverted, 163 million passengers affected by that.

Over the last five years, delays have gone up 90 percent, cancellations, 104 percent. There is a Senate committee that is meeting right now to discuss legislation introduced by the chairman of the full committee, John McCain, which would require the airlines to more readily inform passengers of when there is a delay and when to expect some sort of relief from that delay and also to better accommodate the passengers. It would also require that when a passenger is booking a reservation, he would have to be informed about a plane, a schedule, a flight that is chronically late.

It is that type of legislation which is causing the airlines to say they can do it better if they do it voluntarily. But members of Congress say they've had their chance. Over the last year, voluntary programs, they argue, have not worked. Everybody blames somebody else for the problem. The airlines blame the weather. They also blame an inadequate air traffic control system, blaming the Federal Aviation Administration. The critics of the airlines say that part of the problem, a large part of the problem is the deregulation atmosphere and a hub system which means that if a plane is delayed in one of the hub airports, there's a ripple effect which causes significant delays by the end of the day.

Everybody is pointing the finger. Nobody is coming up with an agreement on what might solve the problem. That is going to be discussed and Congress is contemplating getting into the act -- Daryn?

KAGAN: Bob Franken, still at the airport. Might as well be a travel day for you, Bob. Good to see you.

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