Inside Track: DOT Extends Deadline For Flight Delay Data

The U.S. Department of Transportation this month made final a proposal to extend by 60 days, until June 29, a new rule that requires domestic airlines to post flight delay data on their websites. The extension follows a number of complaints led by airline lobbying groups, chief among them the Air Transport Association, that told DOT that members would need on average five-and-a-half months to comply with the new mandate, well beyond the original April 29 deadline. Airlines initially requested a 90-day extension, but DOT in a notice posted in the Federal Register this month concluded that 60 days would be sufficient. Those DOT requirements are part of a set of rules announced in December to bolster air passenger protections, including requiring airlines to allow passengers to deplane if tarmac delays exceed three hours.

IATA Predicts Pre-Recession Air Traffic Levels By Summer
After February's 9.5 percent rise in global airline passenger demand, as measured by revenue passenger kilometers, demand would only need to build an additional 1.4 percent to "return to pre-crisis levels," reported the International Air Transport Association. The increase was driven by strong performances by Middle Eastern, Asia/Pacific and Latin American carriers. "In two to three months, the industry should be back to pre-recession traffic levels," said IATA director general and CEO Giovanni Bisignani. "This is still not a full recovery. The task ahead is to adjust to two years of lost growth."

FAA Reauthorization Bill Awaits Reconciliation, Finalization
The U.S. Senate's unanimous vote late last month in favor of Federal Aviation Administration reauthorization sent the bill to reconciliation with the House's passed version, and eventually to the President's desk for signature. The last long-term reauthorization bill expired in 2007, forcing FAA to operate under 11 extensions in the interim. The Senate bill requires the 35 largest U.S. airports to adopt Required Navigation Performance and Area Navigation air traffic control procedures by 2014, and other U.S. airports to do so by 2018. The bill also sets deadlines to deploy some in-aircraft global positioning satellite capabilities by 2015, with full deployment by 2018.The National Business Travel Association said last year's passed House version increases passenger facility charges at airports and limits international airline alliance cooperation, two conditions not included in the Senate bill.

TSA To Take On All Domestic Carrier Watchlist Matching By June
The U.S. Transportation Security Administration is on track to fully assume watchlist matching from all domestic carriers by the end of May, only slightly behind its March 31 domestic implementation target for the Secure Flight passenger prescreening system, according to a U.S. Government Accountability Office report. As of March 31, TSA has assumed collecting from passengers full names, dates of birth and gender information with 11 carriers and was testing with the remaining 19. TSA also plans to take on the watchlist matching function for U.S. and foreign carriers "for all international flights departing to and from the United States by December 2010, assuming the air carriers make the necessary system changes as required to be compliant with the Secure Flight final rule," GAO said in the report.

Marriott Aims To Double Footprint In Europe Over Next Five Years
Marriott International recently announced plans to double its European portfolio to 80,000 rooms by 2015. Marriott also plans to introduce its new boutique-lifestyle Edition brand and extended stay Residence Inn brand to the region. About one-third of Marriott's pipeline and half of its upper upscale and luxury openings this year are outside of North America, according to Marriott president and COO Arne Sorenson. Marriott plans to speed its growth further with its recently announced Autograph Collection brand, a collection of upper upscale and luxury independent resorts that will be able to use Marriott's sales and technology resources. Marriott's chief development officer in Europe, Carlton Ervin, said he expected several independent and small hotel groups in Europe to sign onto the collection.