FAA

December 8, 2009 -- Flights operated by the nation’s largest airlines arrived on time at a lower rate this past October than in either October of last year or in September 2009, according to the Air Travel Consumer Report released today by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT).

According to information filed with the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS), a part of DOT’s Research and Innovative Technology Administration (RITA), the 19 carriers reporting on-time performance recorded an overall on-time arrival rate of 77.3 percent in October, a lower rate than both October 2008’s 86.0 percent and September 2009’s 86.2 percent.

December 4, 2009 -- Western New York Representatives Louise Slaughter (NY-28), Chris Lee (NY-26) and Brian Higgins (NY-27) today sent a letter to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Administrator Randy Babbitt urging him to implement much-needed guidelines on pilot fatigue and pilot commuting.

During a recent Senate hearing the FAA Associate Administrator for Aviation Safety Peggy Gilligan announced that the FAA is pushing back its deadline for releasing pilot fatigue guidelines. Gilligan also testified that the FAA will not release any guidelines related to pilot commuting.

Department of Transportation Fines Airlines for Minnesota Stranding

November 24, 2009 -- Washington, D.C. – United States Senators Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and Olympia Snowe (R-ME) today repeated their call for Congress to pass an Airline Passenger Bill of Rights after the Department of Transportation fined Continental Airlines and ExpressJeta combined $100,000 for stranding 47 passengers on Continental Airlines Flight 2816 overnight in Rochester, Minnesota in August.

Additionally, DOT fined Mesaba Airlines $75,000, which provided ground handling for the flight, for its role in the incident.

November 23, 2009 -- Concord, NH -- Congressman Paul Hodes is calling on President Obama to ease holiday air travel delays by allowing commercial planes to travel in military airspace. The Federal Aviation Administration has opened up these "holiday express lanes" in recent years, and the move has proved effective in reducing the number of late arrivals.

Airlines continue to send repair work abroad despite security and safety concerns

June 18, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. – In a Senate Commerce subcommittee hearing, U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill this week followed up on a series of Department of Transportation Inspector General reports that have exposed gaping loopholes in the security and oversight of foreign repair work on domestic, commercial aircraft.

McCaskill questioned the heads of the national and regional airline associations about the industry’s increasing outsourcing of airline maintenance, including to non-FAA certified repair facilities.

Boxer and Snowe craft legislation on NTSB recommendations, greater FAA oversight for flight safety following Buffalo commuter plane crash

June 17, 2009 -- WASHINGTON D.C. – U.S. Senators Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and Olympia J. Snowe (R-ME) today announced the One Level of Safety Act, bipartisan legislation to restore confidence in America’s commercial aviation industry by addressing a number of the issues that came to light during the recent National Transportation Safety Board hearings on the crash of Continental Connection Flight 3407 outside of Buffalo, New York.

Gillibrand Giving Voice to Buffalo Crash Families - Raising Their Questions to Top Aviation Officials; Senator To Get Answers From DOT, FAA, NTSB

June 10, 2009 -- Washington, D.C. - At today's Senate Commerce Committee hearing on Aviation Safety & FAA Oversight, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand will submit questions from the family members of victims in the Flight 3407 crash in Buffalo about fundamental failures in our aviation system.

Schumer To Make New Push To Pass Legislation Making Bird Strike Reporting Mandatory - Only 20% Of Strikes Are Currently Reported

June 9, 2009 -- Today, United States Senator Charles E. Schumer announced he will make a renewed push to pass his legislation, The Wildlife Strike Act, S. 1162, requiring the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to make bird strike data mandatory in the wake of a new report that reveals that only 20% of bird strikes in New York are reported. Schumer will push to have his legislation included as part of the FAA Reauthorization Bill which has already passed the House and is now moving through the Senate.

June 09,2009 -- WASHINGTON, DC – On Monday, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) introduced the Air Medical Service Safety Improvement Act of 2009, which aims to improve safety for flight crews, flight nurses, and passengers aboard emergency air medical service helicopters.

June 8, 2009 – Working to support rural Nebraska airports, Nebraska Senator Ben Nelson today introduced the Small Airport Relief Act of 2009 which would ensure current federal funding levels for rural airports remain stable during the economic downturn. Without legislation, multiple Nebraska airports stand to lose a significant amount of funding if they fall below the threshold required to qualify for $1 million in federal assistance through the Airport Improvement Program (AIP) in 2009.

The Senator wrote the Federal Aviation Administration about the same funding issue last week.