Washington Wire: Tripling Compensation for Involuntary Bumping

The U.S. Department of Transportation is weighing a proposal that would more than triple compensation for airline passengers involuntarily bumped from full planes, a move that would be the first such increase in 30 years. The proposal, one of five options being studied, would value the compensation at $624 and comes as airlines increasingly try to avoid flying planes with empty seats to maximize revenues, making occurrences of bumping more common. Other proposals include not changing the existing $200 penalty, doubling it, raising it 45 percent to $290, or making the penalty equal to the ticket price. The Transportation Department, which announced the study July 9, is soliciting comments from the public. The bumping rules first were adopted in 1962 to balance the rights of passengers with the needs of air carriers to minimize the effect of passengers with reservations who do not take their flight. They were last adjusted in 1978. If a flight is oversold, the airline first must seek volunteers who are willing to give up their seats in return for compensation offered by the airline. The airline may bump passengers involuntarily if not enough of them volunteer, and these passengers are eligible for cash compensation in most circumstances. The rule applies to passengers bumped from an oversold flight that departs without them, not to those affected by delayed or canceled flights. Voluntary bumpings are most common, although nearly 56,000 passengers were involuntarily bumped last year, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Comments on the Department's Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking are due by Sept. 7.

TSA Rolls Out Advanced X-Ray for Carry-on Luggage
The Transportation Security Administration said it would begin testing new X-ray technology enhanced with the ability to see high-definition images from multiple angles, which will make it easier to detect explosives in carry-on luggage. The technology already is in place at most airports to screen checked luggage. Expanding its use to inspect carry-on bags will improve in-flight security, said TSA Administrator Kip Hawley. "The additional capability of AT scanners gives immediate benefit to our security officers in making security evaluations of carry-on bags," Hawley said. "It will help both effectiveness and efficiency." Officials said the advanced X-ray machines are superior because of a greatly enhanced display that is much clearer and more detailed than current systems. The machines also can be upgraded as enhanced algorithms and programs emerge, require less maintenance and have a smaller profile than currently available explosive detection systems. "Comparing AT X-ray to current technology is like comparing a VHS tape to a DVD. Both play movies, but one is much clearer than the other," said Mike Golden, TSA chief technology officer. Twenty-one of the machines, supplied by contractors L3 Communications, Smiths Detection and Rapiscan Systems, will be tested in the coming weeks. Once the TSA finalizes a test and evaluation schedule, the units will be appraised over several weeks in airports until one or more vendors are chosen for a wider deployment.

Legacy Carriers Seek China Route Authority
The six legacy carriers in separate filings with the U.S. Department of Transportation are seeking to gain various U.S.-China slot allotments available through 2009. The U.S. and China this month officially signed a May agreement to expand air services between the two countries, doubling the number of daily direct departures to 23 by 2012. DOT is accepting carrier applications for six flights to launch between now and 2009—one apiece this year and next, and four in 2009. American Airlines is seeking service between Chicago and Beijing for 2009, when Continental Airlines hopes to launch Newark-Shanghai daily flights. Delta Air Lines has requested to commence daily nonstop service between its Atlanta hub and Shanghai this year, and a daily nonstop from Atlanta to Beijing in 2009. Northwest is seeking Detroit-Shanghai service this year and between Detroit and "Shanghai and/or Beijing, effective March 25, 2009." United Air Lines requested a daily departure between San Francisco-Guangzhou for next year and Los Angeles-Shanghai and Washington, D.C.-Shanghai service in 2009. US Airways applied for a Philadelphia-Shanghai route next year and daily Philadelphia-Beijing service to commence in 2009.