Travel Safety & Security Update.

Professional Flight Attendants Assn. is objecting to Northwest Airlines' new Coach Choice scheme, which allows passengers to pay $15 to reserve selected exit row or aisle seats. PFAA, which represents NWA's cabin staff, said the initiative is "ill-conceived" because "it takes away from the primary reason 'qualified' passengers occupy exit row seats," according to National Security & Regulatory Affairs Coordinator Jeanne Elliot. She also said it will add to cabin staff workloads as unqualified passengers must be shifted from exit row seats. Northwest defended Coach Choice, which is expected to bring in an additional $15 million in revenue per year based on initial customer response. In a statement, the airline said it worked with FAA on administration of the program's exit row aspect and that "the qualification process to secure a Coach Choice exit row seat assignment is exactly the same" as the process to secure an exit row seat assignment for a seat that isn't part of the program. Apr 7, 2006

Registered Traveler would not improve security. In its current state, the Registered Traveler program would not significantly improve security, Air Transport Association president James C. May writes. The ATA believes that the commitment needed to overhaul the program and to make it effective is not worth the investment. Apr 7, 2006

FAA, controller contract talks break down. Negotiations between the Federal Aviation Administration and the air traffic controllers union broke down Wednesday. The FAA said the talks are at an impasse. Congress has 60 days to intervene. If Congress doesn't act the FAA may impose its last offer. Apr 6, 2006

Under federal labor rules, FAA will submit its final offer to Congress, which has 60 days to review the proposal and the union's objections. "By statute, FAA is authorized to implement its proposal if Congress does not act otherwise within the 60 days," the agency said. The union is barred from striking under federal law. Apr 6, 2006

FAA evaluates value of air traffic control system. The Federal Aviation Administration is evaluating the value and price of the air traffic control system to airlines and business aviation operators. The airlines hope to pay for the system based on how much they use it, with the number of departures and duration of flights determining the fees. Apr 5, 2006

FAA postpones implementing new drug rule. The Federal Aviation Administration is postponing until Oct. 10 the introduction of a rule that will expand its drug and alcohol testing program. The Air Transport Association was among the organizations requesting an extension, which will give companies not already in the testing program time determine what work is subject to testing. Apr 5, 2006

NTSB wants FAA to require operators to provide separation of electrical power sources to prevent the simultaneous loss of EFIS displays and to require Bombardier to develop a means of protecting electrical terminals on the contactors from moisture-induced short circuits that have caused the fires. Four of the seven recommendations are classified as urgent. According to the Board, "Various forms of precipitation were present before the departure of each incident flight and when the main cabin door is open on the CRJ200, the forward cabin floor is exposed to the weather, leading to moisture accumulation in the avionics compartment." Apr 5, 2006

TSA to request identification card proposals in May. The Transportation Security Administration in early May will request proposals for tamper-resistant, biometric-based identification cards for workers at U.S. transportation facilities. The cards will include fingerprints and iris scans that will allow transportation facilities to verify worker identities. Apr 4, 2006

Cases of disruptive behavior remain high, TSA says. The number of disruptive air travelers remains high despite stiffer penalties, according to government data. The Federal Aviation Administration and Transportation Security Administration deal with many of the most serious incidents. The agencies handled 349 cases of unruly behavior last year, the second highest total in the past 10 years. Apr 3, 2006

Bombardier

Series of fires aboard CRJ200s resulting in temporary loss of all cockpit EFIS displays on some of the affected aircraft prompted the US National Transportation Safety Board to urge FAA to address the situation. According to NTSB, there have been seven fires aboard CRJ200s, six of them within the past six months. Although none resulted in loss of life, "the potential exists for an uncontained fire to compromise the oxygen line, which could develop into an even more critical situation." All fires have involved the Ultem 2200 surface material of the 1K4XD contactors aboard the aircraft. Four of the fires resulted in at least temporary loss of all EFIS displays. Apr 5, 2006

Lockheed

Lockheed C-5 military cargo plane crashes at Dover Air Base. An Air Force C-5 Galaxy, the largest aircraft in the U.S. military inventory, crashed Monday while trying to make an emergency landing near Dover Air Force Base in Delaware. No one was killed in the accident, but several aboard were injured. Apr 3, 2006