<B>WashingtonWire</B>
<B>Bush Move on Clinton Rules Delays FAA</B>
The Bush Administration's decision to place a moratorium on rules finalized or proposed during the last days of the Clinton Administration snagged several Federal Aviation Administration actions. Among new regulations being held in abeyance are the rewrite of the airport and airline security rules. These regulations have been in the rulemaking process since the late 1980s and have been in the final review process since last June. Airlines and airports have been awaiting the release of these regulations to implement changes to their security programs. Also caught in the moratorium are the rewrite of rules for overseas aircraft repair stations, a fuel tank special rule and 737 flight data recorder revisions. Also delayed are proposed rulemakings concerning drug and alcohol rules for airline employees, collision avoidance systems for cargo planes, sightseeing flights over national parks, corrosion prevention (part of the agency's aging aircraft program) and revised tests for landing gear. It is not yet known how long the moratorium will last.
<A NAME="2"><B>Air Rage Cools As FAA Reconsiders Fines</B>
The number of air rage incidents on U.S. airlines dropped to 266 last year, down from 310 in 1999, the Federal Aviation Administration reported, though it said the numbers could change due to the ongoing reporting of December incidents. Under terms of last year's AIR-21 legislation, the FAA is allowed to propose up to a $25,000 fine per violation for unruly passenger cases. Previously, the maximum civil penalty per violation was $1,100.
<A NAME="2"><B>DOT Shows International Air Traffic Rise</B>
The first report in the U.S. Department of Transportation's newly resumed monthly analyses of international air transportation showed strong growth in passenger traffic between the United States and other countries during the 12 months ended June 2000. U.S. and foreign carriers transported 137 million passengers between this country and other nations during the year, an increase of 6.9 percent over the previous year. The top five foreign countries in traffic to and from the United States were the United Kingdom, Canada, Mexico, Japan and Germany. Africa and the Middle East experienced the fastest rates of nonstop passenger growth to and from this country. The top U.S. airports for international passenger traffic were New York, Los Angeles, Miami, Chicago and Newark, while the top foreign gateways for U.S. passenger traffic were London Heathrow, Tokyo, Toronto, Frankfurt and London Gatwick.