<B> Washington Wire</B>
By Barbara Cook, Washington Correspondent
<B>Deadline Extended For Comments</B>
The Federal Aviation Administration has extended until Aug. 17 the deadline for comments on its Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on the security of checked baggage in the United States. The Air Transport Association requested the delay, saying its airline members needed more time to prepare their responses.
FAA proposed to step up security of checked baggage by requiring airlines on domestic flights to use an automated screening procedure known as Computer Assisted Passenger Screening. CAPS screens the majority of baggage and allows airlines to concentrate on only those automatically selected by the system by using data from the airlines' reservation systems to select baggage on a random basis or through pre-programmed criteria. For the most part, passengers won't know whether CAPS selected their checked bags, because the security measures required nearly always take place behind the scenes, FAA said.
<a name="2"><B>DOT To Assess FAA's Security Procedures</B>
The U.S. Department of Transportation's Inspector General on June 21 will begin an audit to assess FAA's oversight of airport and airline procedures to ensure that only authorized personnel are allowed in secure areas of the nation's airports. The IG also will review FAA's enforcement of regulations designed to ensure airport or air carrier compliance with requirements for investigating the backgrounds of personnel seeking access to secure airport areas. The IG's office earlier this year conducted anonymous tests at five major airports and found that its inspectors frequently were able to penetrate secure areas and board aircraft, largely unchallenged. Since then, FAA has been working to beef up airport access control procedures.
<a name="3"><B>U.S., U.K. To Clear The Air In July?</B>
Although U.S. and U.K. officials are attempting to schedule bilateral talks for early July, a date has yet to be set. Meanwhile, British Midland chairman Sir Michael Bishop recently told the Washington International Aviation Club that the two governments need to resolve their differences of transatlantic air services to enable additional airlines to enter the market. Bishop said his airline has applied to DOT for an exemption from the current bilateral to allow it to commence operations from London's Heathrow Airport to Boston, Miami, New York and Washington, D.C. He said approval of this request "would send a strong signal that the U.S. means business in opening up U.K., U.S. transatlantic routes."
<a name="4"><B>Cardinal Withdraws Operating Application</B>
Cardinal Airlines, which recently applied to DOT for rights to launch scheduled passenger service from Melbourne, Fla., to several Eastern U.S. cities, has withdrawn its application without explanation. The carrier had said that its service would consist of first class seating at one-price-per-destination fares that roughly would equal the advance restricted coach fares of major airlines.
<a name="5"><B>FAA, PASS Rely On Mediator</B>
FAA and the Professional Airways Systems Specialists have agreed to work with "super mediator" W.J. Usery Jr. to resolve the outstanding issues in the way of a new contract. FAA and PASS officials said that while they have made progress in their efforts to reach a new agreement, several key issues remain undecided. PASS represents nearly 8,000 FAA employees who maintain the air traffic control system's equipment.
<a name="6"><B>Summer Travel Numbers Look Hot</B>
Americans expect their level of business travel to increase during the June-August months, up 3 percent over the same period last year, the Travel Industry Association said in a new forecast of summer travel. One-fourth of U.S. travelers are "very" or "somewhat likely" to travel for business or convention purposes this summer, TIA reported. During the summer of 1998, business travel volume grew "significantly," to 80.2 million trips, and TIA also pointed to industry estimates showing that lodging demand was up by 3.5 percent through March of this year, while average rates increased by 3.8 percent through the same period. Demand for air travel also is healthy, with industry figures showing a 2 to 3 percent increase in air travel expected this summer. Summer vacation travel this year is expected to grow by 4 percent over last year. Florida, California and Hawaii continue as the top destinations for U.S. vacation travelers this summer, TIA said.