Airport News August 2005.

Airport security should be reprivatized. The government has gone overboard on aviation security, and the Transportation Security Administration should be abolished, writes Ivan Eland in an opinion piece in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Eland, a senior fellow at the Independent Institute, also writes that changes in passengers' responses to hijackings make terrorist attacks less likely. Aug 30, 2005

Airlines invest in elite airport lounges. Some major airlines are investing in their airport lounges as a strategy to hold on to their best customers. American Airlines added a new airport lounge in Honolulu in March, and United Airlines recently renovated its Red Carpet Club in Dallas. The airlines say the clubs generate revenue and keep customers loyal. The clubs are often used by business travelers who pay top dollar for their tickets. Aug 30, 2005

Airports close for Katrina; major delays, cancellations expected. Four airports have suspended flights because of Hurricane Katrina, a major storm that has hit the Louisiana coast. Significant disruptions are expected at other airports in the storm's path, including Atlanta, the world's busiest airport. The airports suspending operations are: New Orleans; Gulfport-Biloxi, Miss.; Mobile, Ala.; and Fort Walton Beach, Fla. Aug 29, 2005

Group opposes TSA proposal to lift ban on knives. Some family members of victims of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks oppose a plan by the Transportation Security Administration to allow travelers to take knives on commercial jetliners. A TSA panel has recommended lifting the ban on knives and scissors less than five inches long. One member of Families of September 11, the group opposing the changes, said the proposal indicates the government has become too relaxed on security issues. Aug 25, 2005

Annual airline traffic to double by 2020. A study by Airports Council International says the number of airline passengers flying each year will double to 7.4 billion by 2020. The study predicts airline traffic will grow 4.1% annually over the next 15 years. The group warned that the growth could overwhelm airport infrastructure, cause congestion and affect customer service. Aug 24, 2005

Travelers sue TSA over Secure Flight privacy issues. A group of Alaskan travelers has sued the Transportation Security Administration to find out what information the TSA gathered about them while it tested Secure Flight, a new terrorist-watch database. The plaintiffs also claim TSA violated the Privacy Act. Officials from TSA declined to comment. Aug 22, 2005

New radar system will detect tiny pieces of runway debris. A new radar system will detect tiny pieces of debris on a runway and help avoid accidents similar to the crash of the Concorde in 2000 at Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris, officials at Vancouver International Airport said. The Vancouver airport has purchased four Tarsier radar units. Next year, it will become the first airport in the world to operate them. Aug 19, 2005

TSA's "no-fly list" includes names of infants, critics say. Critics of the government's "no-fly list" say the list includes the names of infants and has prevented them from boarding airplanes. Since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, the list has grown to include more than 100,000 names, The Associated Press reported, citing unnamed sources. Not all the names come with details that can help security personal identify the person on the list. The Transportation Security Administration said it has told airlines not to keep children under 12 from boarding, even if their name matches one on the list. Aug 18, 2005

TSA hopes to develop less invasive X-ray machines. The Transportation Security Administration has hired two companies to modify X-ray machines that it uses to search for weapons. Currently, the machines are able to detect weapons, but they also detect certain body parts. The American Civil Liberties Union has called the process "a virtual strip search." The TSA hopes to test modified X-ray machines in a few airports this fall. Aug 17, 2005

Complaints fall after TSA amends pat-down policy. The number of complaints about pat-down searches has declined since the Transportation Security Administration scaled back the practice. Complaints fell to 25 in July from 427 in November. The TSA changed the pat-down policy after many female passengers complained that the process was inappropriate and humiliating. Aug 16, 2005

Registered Traveler program shines spotlight on biometric identification. The Registered Traveler test program, in which airline passengers become "trusted travelers" and are given a biometric identification card if they consent to government background checks, is designed to help shorten the time it takes passengers to pass through security checkpoints. Proponents of the biometric identification technology associated with the program say it can be useful in many facets of life, but others say widespread use of such technology is a threat to privacy. Aug 15, 2005

TSA chief orders broad review of airline security. The head of the Transportation Security Administration has called for a broad review of the air security system. Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security Edmund S. "Kip" Hawley said the review may result in changes to the way the TSA screens travelers. His staff already has made recommendations in an Aug. 5 document, and TSA officials will meet later this month to consider the proposals, which include lifting the ban on scissors, razor blades and knives. Aug 15, 2005

Pentagon, states battle over Air National Guard overhaul. As the Pentagon and state officials go head-to-head over the Defense Department's proposal to reorganize dozens of Air National Guard bases, a commission questioned whether the changes would pose new risks for homeland security. Both sides were given the chance to state their case before the panel presents the report to President George W. Bush. The Pentagon reassured the changes would not pose any additional problems, while state officials claim security efforts will be hampered if the proposal is accepted. Aug 12, 2005

TSA looks to improve shoe-removal procedures at checkpoints. The Transportation Security Administration is asking businesses to voluntarily participate in a test program to create "Shoe Weapons Inspection Systems (SWIS) that can inspect footwear for weapons without passengers having to remove or divest them from their feet," according to a federal business opportunities Web site. The most consistent complaint the TSA receives from passengers is having to walk barefoot on the linoleum floors. Aug 11, 2005

Chertoff downplays privacy concerns about Secure Flight. Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said travelers should relax their privacy concerns regarding information the Transportation Security Administration seeks to obtain as part of its Secure Flight program. "The average American gives information up to get a CVS (drugstore discount) card that is far more in-depth than TSA's going to be looking at," Chertoff said. Opponents of the plan, which asks travelers to disclose their full name and birthday when purchasing a ticket, say it doesn't work because terrorists can use a fake ID or keep their criminal records clean. Aug 10, 2005

State Department advises Americans to use caution in Britain. The State Department this week issued a public announcement urging Americans in Britain to "maintain a high level of vigilance, take appropriate steps to increase their security awareness, and exercise caution in public places or while using public transportation." The announcement warns of the possibility that terrorists will attack "soft targets" such as restaurants and shopping districts. Click here to read the announcement. Aug 5, 2005

NYC tests to track patterns of potential harmful gases. The Department of Homeland Security this weekend is conducting tests in New York City to simulate how potentially harmful gases could be dispersed. Colorless, odorless and harmless "tracer" gases will be released and then tracked at ground level and in the subway tunnels. To see a graphic of possible test sites, click here. Aug 5, 2005

Private guards in California get terrorism training. California's Department of Consumer Affairs now requires private security guards to receive counterterrorism training. The guards receive training on potential terrorist weapons, weapons of mass destruction and how to respond to a terrorist attack. Aug 3, 2005

Mishandled luggage reports climb; airline policies differ. The number of reports of mishandled luggage increased 42% in the first five months of 2005 from the same period in 2004, according to Department of Transportation. The agency attributed the higher number of reports to growth in the number of air travelers. Policies on returning mishandled bags and compensation to passengers vary from airline to airline. Some airlines and airports are also using special technology designed to track bags that have left the airport. Aug 2, 2005

Passengers keep packing prohibited weapons. The Transportation Security Administration continues to confiscate thousands of weapons from airline passengers each year. A TSA spokeswoman said many travelers forget weapons are prohibited. Others are simply not preparing properly for security checks, she said. TSA screeners typically collect 7.7 weapons per 1,000 passengers at a large hub airport. Aug 1, 2005

Risk of runway incidents may be rising at JFK. Some experts say the risk of runway collisions may be growing at New York's John F. Kennedy Airport. Two new air traffic control systems could reduce the risk of collisions, but it is unclear when Kennedy will have access to the systems. Aug 1, 2005

Singapore airport prepares for Airbus superjumbo jet. Singapore's Changi airport has spent $36 million to modify its facilities for the Airbus A380 superjumbo jet. The airport Tuesday unveiled the first gate capable of handling the plane, which can hold up to 555 passengers. Singapore Airlines, the A380 launch customer, has 10 planes on order and 15 options.

Aug 19, 2005

Several airlines report large gains in traffic. Several airlines are reporting large gains in traffic this summer, which is the heaviest travel summer in several years. American Airlines' jetliners were more than 85% full last month, up an average of 4% from July 2004, and overall passenger traffic increased 8%. AirTran Airways said July traffic increased 40%. Aug 3, 2005

Runway expansion proves a heady task for airports. Atlanta's $1.3 billion runway expansion project demonstrates how difficult it is for busy airports to grow. Expansion plans spur opposition from surrounding communities and environmental groups and often face bureaucratic delays. While runways are in planning and approval stages, technology can advance and render projects obsolete. Airlines say more runways are needed to ease congestion and delays. Aug 31, 2005

Atlanta should reconsider airport expansion. Officials in Atlanta should reconsider plans to expand Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, according to an editorial in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The airport plans to build an international terminal to accommodate growing passenger traffic. The cost of the project is now $6.2 billion, higher than the original $5.4 billion estimate. The city should consider whether the expansion plan is still valid and if it can be completed if Delta Air Lines files for bankruptcy. Aug 23, 2005

Atlanta airport manager fires design team. The general manager for the Atlanta airport fired a design team for a planned international terminal. The designers, Leo A Daly, KHAFRA engineering, Anthony C. Baker Architects and Planners, and Browder and LeGuizamon & Associates, have filed a $60 million lawsuit against the city of Atlanta. General Manager Ben DeCosta said the team did not complete its design on time.

Aug 17, 2005

Screener cuts may lengthen lines in Atlanta, officials say. Crowds at Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport have been larger than officials expected so far this summer. Officials say most passengers have not experienced long delays in security lines despite the record number of passengers passing through. However, Airport General Manager Ben DeCosta said cuts in the number of security screeners have boosted wait times during peak hours. Aug 1, 2005

Boston[sup.1]s Logan Airport to implement new runway safety plan after latest incident. Following another near-collision when a mechanic taxied a FedEx cargo plane across the runway, forcing a passenger plane at Boston's Logan International Airport to delay takeoff, federal, state and airline officials will design a runway safety plan. No details of the plan or a timetable for the review were released. Aug 9, 2005

Continental feuds with Boston airport over Wi-Fi: Continental Airlines is arguing with Boston's Logan International Airport over a free Wi-Fi service Continental installed in its frequent-flyer lounge. The airport says the service interferes with communications equipment used by police and the Transportation Security Administration. The airline argues it is acting within FCC guidelines governing airport Wi-Fi and therefore it does not have to pull the plug. Aug 5, 2005

Dallas airport enters hotel business. Dallas Fort-Worth International Airport has recently become one of the few airports to own a hotel. The 12-story Grand Hyatt DFW opened in July in the airport's new Terminal D. The hotel markets itself to corporations flying executives in for small meetings. Detroit is the only other airport among the ten busiest in the U.S. to own an on-site hotel. It is more common for airports to lease land to a hotel developer. Aug 29, 2005

Baggage system delays American's move to new D/FW terminal. Officials at Dallas/Fort Worth International say smoothing out the airport's new baggage system is taking longer than originally planned. The system will serve the airport's new Terminal D. American Airlines will occupy two-thirds of the terminal but says it will not move in until the baggage system is up to certain standards. Aug 31, 2005

Denver airport to retire automated baggage system. Denver International Airport will shut down its error-prone computerized baggage-handling system over the next few weeks. The automated system, used by United Airlines, did not simplify baggage handling. United said returning to a manual system of sorting bags will save $1 million a month. Aug 29, 2005

Travelers clamor for airport concessions. The move by airlines to end meal service on many flights has created a boon for restaurants and snack shops at Denver International Airport. Concession sales are up 9.5% through June of this year, compared with a year ago. The growth spurt exceeds the airport's 1.9% increase in the number of departing passengers. Aug 18, 2005

Union vote for Missouri screeners causes national debate: Kansas City International Airport is one of just five airports that contracted with a private company for security screeners after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. In June, the screeners, who work for FirstLine Transportation Security, voted in a union-representation election. The result of their vote is unknown because the company appealed the National Labor Relations Board's decision to hold the election. The matter has escalated into a national debate over whether the private screeners should be treated the same as federal screeners, who are not allowed to unionize. Aug 31, 2005

Collision alarm system was "suppressed" at Kennedy. When a DC-8 cargo jet nearly collided with a Boeing 767 passenger liner July 6 at Kennedy International Airport, the system installed by the Federal Aviation Administration to warn of runway collisions remained silent, experts involved in the investigation have reported. The alarm system was "deliberately suppressed," due to the heavy rain, an FAA spokeswoman said. In bad weather, false alarms sounded so often that it rendered the system useless, she said. Aug 5, 2005

More retailers will establish airport locations, JFK official says. Carol Fish, the commercial director for John F. Kennedy International Airport's Terminal 4, said more retailers want to place their shops in airports. Branded retailers are more prevalent in European airports than in U.S. airports because European travelers expect quality shopping at airports, she noted. Currently, food and beverage retailers are seeing the most growth in airport locations, Fish said. Aug 31, 2005

Pittsburgh airport mall's business improving. Pittsburgh International Airport's Airmall is opening new stores and hiring new employees, signaling better times, officials say. The airport recently added Southwest Airlines and other carriers, which have increased passenger traffic, and the mall has opened nine stores since April and has 100 job openings. Aug 2, 2005

San Francisco's airport to drop private screeners. San Francisco International Airport said it will no longer use private security screeners because the Transportation Security Administration will not offer blanket protection from lawsuits stemming from possible terrorist attacks. The airport is part of a pilot program testing private screeners; most airports use federal screeners. San Francisco's decision could hurt efforts to replace federal screeners with private screeners at other U.S. airports.

Aug 31, 2005

Sea-Tac's $4.2B makeover may run airlines out of building. The Seattle-Tacoma International Airport boasts a wall of glass that mesmerizes passengers, but airlines are saying the $4.2 billion airport makeover is becoming difficult to afford. British Airways says Sea-Tac has one of the highest costs per passenger in the system, and Southwest claims it's cheaper to build its own $130 million terminal and parking garage at Boeing Field than stay at Sea-Tac. Aug 8, 2005

Congressional letter blasts Southwest's proposal. Washington state lawmakers and business leaders have voiced their opposition to Southwest Airlines' proposal to transfer its flights to Boeing Field from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. Critics of the plan argue it would "waste taxpayer dollars" because road improvements would have to be made around Boeing Field first. Aug 5, 2005

Southwest would fly over water to cut noise in Seattle move. Part of Southwest Airlines' plan to keep noise levels down if it moves to Seattle's Boeing Field involves flying over the area's Elliott Bay. City officials say any noise-reduction agreement must be enforced by a contract. Southwest said it is willing to agree to over-water flights in a contract and expects weather to prevent the approach over the bay less than 10% of the time. Although the FAA approves flight plans, FAA Operation Support Specialist Barry Davis said it's up to individual pilots to choose a route into the airport. Aug 24, 2005

Southwest promises to fly quiet jets out of Boeing Field. Southwest Airlines said it will fly only quiet, next-generation Boeing 737-700s jetliners in and out of Boeing Field. The airline wants to relocate from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport to Boeing Field, but residents of nearby neighborhoods are concerned about noise. Southwest also promised it will not schedule "red-eye" flights in and out of the airport. Aug 23, 2005

Southwest's move may create traffic conundrum, critics say. Critics of Southwest Airlines' plan to relocate to Boeing Field from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport in Washington say a new terminal would require new freeway interchanges and ramps. Southwest said its $130 million terminal would require only minor highway improvements. However, neither side has conducted a detailed study. Southwest said if it relocates, it will boost its departures to 60 a day from the current 38. Aug 22, 2005

United Airlines to end free skycap check-in at O'Hare. United Airlines this month will start charging $2 a bag to travelers who turn their luggage over to a skycap at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport. Previously, there was no charge for checking luggage with a porter. The change is expected to save United millions. A contractor now operates the porter service and bills the airline monthly. Starting Aug. 16, travelers will pay the contractor, who will pay United to lease equipment.

Aug 5, 2005

London[sup.1]s Heathrow is to be the venue for the very first time of a Virgin Atlantic 'Flying Without Fear' course now in their eighth year at Birmingham, Gatwick and Manchester airports. Set for Sunday 28 August, and costing [pounds sterling]234 28 tax paid, the one-day course includes a 45-minute flight at the end of the session for passengers to put their new-found confidence to the test. The day starts with a brief introduction, after which two Virgin Atlantic Captains run through aircraft functions, noises and safety. After a hot lunch, participants can ask questions on a one-to-one basis and psychotherapist David Landau teaches skills to help people learn to control their fears. During the 'test' flight, pilots give a running commentary re-enforcing all that has been learnt throughout the day. And to give an added bonus Virgin Atlantic is offering all successful participants membership of its frequent flyer programme including 2,000 'Flying Club' miles. http://www.flyingwithoutfear.info Aug 12, 2005