REMARKS FOR
THE HONORABLE MARY PETERS
SECRETARY OF TRANSPORTATION
HOLIDAY TRAVEL NEWS CONFERENCE
DENVER, CO
NOVEMBER 18, 2007
9:30 AM (MST)
Good morning. Thank you, Turner, for being with me today.
It is great to be here on the eve of the busiest air travel period of the year –
Thanksgiving. That is because this airport is not only one of the nation’s
busiest hubs, it is by far the most striking.
When I met with the President earlier this week, I told him that I did not just
want to talk about holiday travel preparations. I wanted to see them for myself.
And I can think of no better place to do that than Denver International Airport.
I spent yesterday afternoon in the air traffic control tower, observing the hard
work of our dedicated controllers who make our air travel safe and efficient. I
also heard from airline and airport officials about their preparations for the
upcoming season. They detailed aggressive plans and assured me they are doing
everything possible to be ready.
After all, the holidays should be a time of cheer, not a time of long lines,
long delays, and lost baggage.
The same kind of preparations taking place here are underway across the country.
Airlines, for example, will be able to take advantage of unused airspace usually
reserved for the military along the eastern seaboard under a new agreement we
announced earlier this week.
We are halting all non-essential maintenance and construction at our FAA
facilities, including air traffic control towers, during the Thanksgiving and
Christmas travel seasons so that our resources are focused on moving traffic.
We also have given our managers greater flexibility to use overtime to ensure
all facilities are fully staffed.
We are working with airlines to put in place new measures in the New York area –
which is the source of three quarters of the severe delays travelers experience
nationwide. These measures will reduce the chances passengers in Denver or
Colorado Springs get delayed by backups in New York City.
We also are encouraging travelers to visit
www.fly.faa.gov to get information about the latest airport conditions
before they leave their homes, so they can plan accordingly.
I have also spoken with the leaders of the nation’s airlines and airport
organizations to make sure they are doing everything possible to prepare for the
crush of travelers we all know are coming.
We can’t control Mother Nature, but by preparing for the worst, we hope to make
travel this holiday part of the fun, instead of part of the frustration.
Sometimes though, even the best made plans come undone. All too often, when that
happens in air travel, passengers suffer.
That is why when I met with the President on Thursday, we unveiled a proposal to
double the compensation for passengers who are involuntarily bumped from their
flights when airlines overbook – going from $200 to $400 when the passenger can
be booked on a new flight in under two hours, and from $400 to $800 for longer
delays.
We are proposing new ways to record and post flight delay information so
travelers know what to expect before they buy their tickets. We also are
proposing to require carriers to adopt legally binding contingency plans for
lengthy tarmac delays – including the guarantee of adequate food, water,
lavatory facilities, and medical attention to severely delayed passengers.
Finding ways to make delays and cancellations less frustrating for consumers is
important. Finding ways to keep those flights from getting delayed and cancelled
in the first place is essential.
The preparations the airlines, the airports, and we in the government are making
are absolutely vital. Travelers are counting on all of us to make this right,
and the President has made it clear that failure simply is not an option.
Thank you for coming and my best wishes for a safe and joyous holiday season. I
would now be happy to take your questions.
# # #
Briefing
Room
