FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 18, 2012 Contact:  Zachary Coile or Peter True (202) 224-8120

BOXER URGES TSA TO IMPROVE AND PROMOTE AIR TRAVEL PROGRAM FOR WOUNDED VETERANS

TSA Should Provide More Accurate Information – and More Outreach – on Program that Eases Security Screening Process

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA), co-chair of the Senate Military Family Caucus, today sent a letter to Transportation Security Administration (TSA) Administrator John Pistole urging him to take immediate steps to improve access to the Military Severely Injured Joint Services Operations Center Program to better serve wounded veterans. The program, established in 2005 in collaboration with the Department of Defense, is designed to ensure our nation’s severely injured veterans are treated with dignity and respect during the airport security screening process and to facilitate a smooth and expeditious travel experience.

Senator Boxer wrote, “I am deeply concerned that the TSA’s failure to provide appropriate contact information for the Military Severely Injured Joint Services Operations Center Program is preventing many of our severely injured veterans from accessing the care and services they need when traveling.”

Boxer’s letter details how the information provided on the TSA’s website for the Military Severely Injured Joint Services Operations Center Program contains several flaws, including a toll-free telephone number that does not directly connect wounded veterans to the TSA for assistance. The TSA website also directs veterans to a third-party website that contains no information on how to access the program.

In her letter, Boxer urges Administrator Pistole to move quickly to correct these flaws and to work with the Defense Department and airlines to better publicize the program to ensure that more injured veterans will benefit from it.

The text of the Senator’s letter follows:

June 18, 2012

The Honorable John Pistole

Administrator

Transportation Security Administration

601 South 12th Street

Arlington, VA 20598

Dear Administrator Pistole:

As co-chair of the Senate Military Family Caucus, I am writing to express my concern that the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is not providing our nation’s severely injured service members and veterans with accurate information about a critical program that facilitates the airport security screening process.  

As you know, the screening process at airport security checkpoints can often be significantly more complex for some severely injured service members and veterans. I am pleased that the TSA partnered with the Department of Defense to establish the Military Severely Injured Joint Services Operations Center Program, which works to ensure that these men and women are treated with dignity and respect during the screening process and have a smooth and expeditious travel experience. This program is an important resource for our severely injured veterans and their families.

However, it has come to my attention that the TSA’s website does not include accurate, direct contact information for the Military Severely Injured Joint Services Operations Center Program. For example, the toll-free number listed on the site does not connect the caller directly with the program’s Operations Center at the TSA. Instead, the caller is routed to the main line for Military One Source. In addition, a hyperlink on the site sends users to a non-government affiliated webpage that contains no information about the program. 

I am deeply concerned that the TSA’s failure to provide appropriate contact information for the Military Severely Injured Joint Services Operations Center Program is preventing many of our severely injured veterans from accessing the care and services they need when traveling.

As such, I urge the TSA to immediately work to update its website with accurate and direct contact information for the Military Severely Injured Joint Services Operations Center Program. I also encourage the TSA to work with the Department of Defense, airlines and others to ensure that this valuable program is publicized to the fullest extent possible.

Thank you for your attention to these important requests and I look forward to your prompt response.

Sincerely,

Barbara Boxer

United States Senator 

Body Scanners would NOT detect underwear bomb Intelligence Driven security foiled plot! Napa CA (May 8, 2010) -- FlyersRights.org asks why the TSA continues to mislead the public about the efficacy of body scanners in detecting devices like the one reported to have been used in the most recent plot foiled just two weeks ago in Yemen.  The bomb, a refined version of the so-called underwear bomb used by Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab in his Christmas Day 2009 attempt to blow up Northwest Airlines Flight 253, is now at the FBI crime laboratories in Quantico, Virginia.  “The salient question is whether or not the body scanners would have detected an underpants bomb; and the answer is, 'No',” said Kate Hanni, Founder and Executive Director of FlyersRights.org. “If the scanners could have detected these low density explosives inside underpants, the TSA would be able to demonstrate this to the public, but they haven't done it.  Either they haven't tested the equipment for this type of bomb, or if they have, they don’t want us to know the results." Noting that, after a recent intelligence briefing, Senator Dianne Feinstein reported that the device  would have been “undetectable,"  Hanni continued, “Undetectable means just that.  None of our current protocols at TSA checkpoints would have detected this bomb, and officials at DHS and TSA know it.” Hanni stated, "The public needs to know the limitations of the TSA screenings, and particularly those of Rapiscan's body scanners.  This technology has not been shown to be effective at catching devices like the one used by Abdulmutallab or in this most recent plot.  Rapiscan's own website says that its machines cannot detect anything more than one-tenth of an inch below the skin's surface, which means they cannot detect cavity bombs or implant bombs.  By glossing over these important distinctions, it is clear the TSA is more concerned with lulling our citizens into accepting the use of these machines in highly invasive searches, even though TSA knows they have not been shown to be effective.  In fact, no terrorist has ever been caught at a TSA checkpoint." For a Demonstration of the Rapiscan Backscatter Body Scanner (German with English Subtitles) watch a failed demonstration in the Netherlands on YouTube. Clearly these machines will NOT detect low density powdered explosives, liquid slurries, or detonators in most cases. FlyersRights.org has 50,000 members and a toll free hotline 1-877-359-3776. For more info kate@flyersrights.org ###

The Direct Air Nightmare Continues March 21, 2012 Dear Courtney, We're sorry to say it's been a very bad week for customers of Direct Air. Even if stranded passengers get full refunds, many have been stuck paying high last-minute fares on other carriers just to get home. Callers to our hotline at 1 (877) FLYERS6 say they've had to rent cars and travel to unexpected airports, and have incurred those added trip costs before any refund from Direct Air. News Reports & Video We have a variety of related video and other links to share. It's not clear Direct Air has the money to refund passengers' fares. The Department of Transportationconfirms it has begun an investigation of the charter provider's compliance with regulations, including escrow account provisions. (Springfield, IL State Journal-Register story here.) What About Upcoming Flights? Also not clear is whether there's any real hope that Direct Air can resume service, as it claims it will do May 15. The DOT says a restart will require regulatory approval. The company behind the Direct Air brand name, and the entity which has actually made the bankruptcy filing, is Southern Sky Air and Tours, LLC. If that company does re-enter the market, there's no guarantee it would keep the Direct Air product name.FlyersRights.org will be watching to see how this unfolds. WIVB-TV in Buffalo, NY aired this report, including comments from FlyersRight.org Founder and Executive Director Kate Hanni, and adds that Direct Air may be as much as $50 million underwater, including rent and landing fees owed to airports. Two video reports on SCnow.com show how passengers stranded in Myrtle Beach, SC have been left to fend for themselves with little or no help from Direct Air, and reveal that Direct Air has furloughed its employees there. And WPDE-TV reports on stranded Canadian passenger Janet Fowler, and looks at the likelihood of a class-action suit against Direct Air. Passenger Precautions Many unfortunate customers are also learning the hard way that booking tickets with a debit card leaves you vulnerable in these cases. When tickets are booked using a credit card, you can seek a refund from the card company, which then goes to battle with the airline or charter company. Use a debit card, and you're often on your own. Customer Experiences As you might expect, our hotline at 1 (877) FLYERS6 has been busy this week with calls from stranded passengers, and others concerned that flights they have booked over spring break will never happen. We're grateful to our donors and volunteers for enabling us to keep the lines open. We've also had lots of email. Here is a sampling: I purchased six tickets to Punta Gorda, FL for our nephew's wedding April 14. I also talked all the bridesmaids and the groom to fly Direct Air. I bought my tickets 10 months in advance for the good rate ($1,518) knowing Easter time would be a bad time to get a good fare. I paid with my debit card...The first week in March I tried calling them three-to-four times a day at all different times, even at 3am. No answer. I finally called their public relations lady. She told me to wait until two days before my flight to check status. Two days after that they closed down. I have called my bank and they filed a dispute but I'm very angry and would like to know my rights...(Kim) We were unfortunate enough to have purchased Direct Air last July for friends and family. We flew March 2, and were to return March 16. We incurred additional expense because we had to fly out too soon to get good rates. We had to pay $438 for flight and $85 for luggage, (versus) $209 to Direct Air for flight and luggage. Not sure how to proceed...(Judy) Kate, I am one of the many effected by direct air. We had to spend $1,200 to get out of Orlando on Air Tran since our flight was canceled. Local news quoted you to be contacted if additional expenses were incurred. Any advice would be appreciated...(Tara) My family consisting of 12 people are now not only out airfare ($2,040) which we paid in May 2011, but also divided as some can make the drive and others can't. This is such a domino effect that keeps dropping problems as it continues on and on...(Karen) My boyfriend and I spent a ridiculous amount for one-way tickets home, had to pay extra charges for the rental car, were forced to fly home to a different location (Boston) and find a way back to our car in Worcester, MA, in addition to cutting our vacation a day short and spending a full day while we were there looking on for internet (service) to search for new tickets...(Kelli) Direct Air left my family stranded in Ft. Myers/Punta Gorda, FL. I was traveling with my husband and 10-year-old son. We did not get any information from the airline until late afternoon on March 15th, when they sent an email...We had to return our rental car to the Punta Gorda airport (Hertz was going to charge us a fee if we returned to Fort Myers airport instead). We then had to get transportation to Fort Myers Airport. We were able to find a flight on Jetblue Airlines leaving a day early from our trip and the three tickets ended up costing us a total of $1064.40. We left our car parked at the Worcester Airport and had to get transportation from Boston to Worcester to pick up our vehicle...I called my credit card company to start the process of getting a refund...(Peggy) Help Us Help You! FlyersRights.org provides real-time help during incidents such as this, and helps victims respond afterward. Please visit our Donations page, decide what you can do, and click the appropriate button. If you donate to our new Flyers Rights Educational Fund, your contribution is even tax deductible. Kate's Final Word... The Direct Air Debacle has taught us some valuable lessons. First, low cost air carriers are just that...low cost. Low cost air carriers don't invest in customer service and they don't save for a rainy day. They are working on razor thin margins and in the case of Direct Air apparently charging less than the cost to fly. So when something goes wrong, you really cannot count on them for help. Charter airlines appear to operate under the radar and under a different set of rules. So before you book on a charter airline, unless it's your only option, consider the more expensive commercial service because you will have regulations that further protect you in the event of flight cancellations and delays. FlyersRights.org's purpose is to inform the public of your rights, and to fight for further rights when deceptive practices rear their ugly heads. And with the airlines there appears to be no end in sight to the ugly/deceptive practices. We helped about 100 people (so far) on the Direct Air flights to weed through the mess. We provide 24/7 help through our toll free hotline and are committed to continuing this service so long as we can afford to! Sincerely, Kathleen Hanni FlyersRights.org

Direct Air: Information for Consumers Regarding the Cessation of Operations by Southern Sky Air Tours d/b/a Myrtle Beach Direct Air and Tours

TransportationU.S. Department of Office of the Secretary of Transportation

Transportation Facts

Information for Consumers Regarding the

Cessation of Operations by Southern Sky Air Tours

d/b/a Myrtle Beach Direct Air and Tours

(as of March 16, 2012)

On or about March 13, 2012, Southern Sky Air Tours, d/b/a Myrtle Beach Direct Air and Tours (Direct Air) ― a public charter operator ― ceased operations. Direct Air has subsequently filed for bankruptcy protection in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Massachusetts (Worcester)(Case no. 12-40944). Set forth below are certain alternatives available to Direct Air customers.

Air Transportation

Direct Air was authorized by the Department to operate public charter flights between numerous cities and Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and points in Florida. Under Department regulations, Direct Air has in place an escrow account into which all charter participant funds were to be deposited until payment was made to the airline that was to perform their charter flights. The Department is investigating the handling of that escrow account. In addition, as required by Department rules, Direct Air has in place a surety bond in the amount of $200,000 protecting charter participant payments.

The company has announced that it intends to restart operations as of May 15, 2012; however, the company currently does not have authority to do so and that announcement does not affect consumers who currently are in mid-trip or who had paid for but had not yet begun travel under the current program that has been canceled.

At this time, it is unclear whether consumers who have completed the outbound portion of their trip and need to return home will be provided return transportation by Direct Air, but we have been advised that the company is working with the airlines involved with its charter program to provide return flights. Direct Air has established a toll-free number that should be operational at the time of publication of this fact sheet to provide consumers more information about this matter. That number is 1-855-888-8090.

Obtaining a Refund

Consumers affected by Direct Air’s cessation of service who are due a refund need to be able to prove to the escrow bank and surety bond company that they purchased charter air transportation or an air charter tour package from Direct Air. Acceptable proof might include a Direct Air receipt or invoice, or possibly the consumer’s credit card purchase record.

Under Department rules, consumers may request a refund from Direct Air by writing to the company at 1600 Oak Street, Suite B, Myrtle Beach, SC 29577, with a copy sent to the company’s escrow depository bank, Valley National Bank, at 1455 Valley Road, Wayne, NJ 07470. When we receive directions on how and where to file bankruptcy claims, we will revise this fact sheet.

Consumers may also be able to recover funds by making a claim under Direct Air’s surety bond. The bond number is 41060098. The holder of Direct Air’s surety bond is Platte Insurance Company. Platte River Insurance Company may be contacted via U.S. mail at P.O. Box 5900, Madison, WI 53705; via fax at 608-829-7451; or via email at bondclaims@capitol.net. In addition, Platte River Insurance Company has established a toll-free phone number to provide information regarding procedures for filing claims, 1-800-475-4450 ext. 4284. Claims made under the surety bond must be made within 60 days of the date of the originally-scheduled return air transportation. Claims are limited to the amount paid by the consumer for the charter air transportation or air charter tour package.

Credit and Debit Card Refunds

Customers who paid Direct Air by credit card may be entitled to a credit from their credit card company under the Fair Credit Billing Act. Write to your credit card issuer, being sure to state your account number. Enclose a photocopy of your credit card statement, if you have received one, and a photocopy of your ticket, itinerary or receipt if possible, or indicate the price of the transportation and the date it was purchased. State that Direct Air has ceased operations, that you will not receive the product that you charged to your account (i.e., the comprehensive tour), and that you are requesting a credit pursuant to the Fair Credit Billing Act.

The credit card issuer must receive this notice no later than 60 days after the date that you received the first monthly statement that listed the Direct Air charge, although credit card companies sometimes waive this deadline for future transportation. If you have a paper ticket or other evidence of your transportation, some credit card issuers may ask for the original unused ticket or other documentation. If this is requested, keep a photocopy and send the original by certified mail. Do not send the original documentation unless it is requested. However, it would be a good idea to enclose a copy of any confirmation or itinerary sheet that you may have received.

There are no federal protections for debit card purchases of the type described above for credit cards. However, some debit card issuers voluntarily provide some or all of those protections. If you paid by debit card, consult your debit card issuer regarding your refund rights.

What if an FAA Drone crashes into an airplane or jet?

Police Drone
Crashes into Police
http://gizmodo.com/5890507/police-drone-crashes-into-police

The Montgomery County (Texas) Sheriff's Office had a big day planned. After
becoming the first department in the country with its own aerial drone
($300,000!), they were ready for a nice photo op. And then the drone crashed
into a SWAT team.
The
Examiner reports a painfully contrived police action-athon:
As the sheriff's SWAT team suited up with lots of firepower and their
armored vehicle known as the "Bearcat," a prototype drone from
Vanguard Defense Industries took off for pictures of all the police action. It
was basically a photo opportunity, according to those in attendance.
"Lots of firepower" and a "Bearcat" sure sounds like a
good photo op. OK, time to launch the $300,000 drone. Here we go. Launch the
drone:
"[The] prototype drone was flying about 18-feet off the ground when it
lost contact with the controller's console on the ground. It's designed to go
into an auto shutdown mode...but when it was coming down the drone crashed into
the SWAT team's armored vehicle."
Not only did the drone fail, and not only did it crash, it literally
crashed into the police. It's no wonder we're not able to find a video of
this spectacular publicity failure. Luckily, the SWAT boys were safe in their
Bearcat.
This would be a fine one-off blooper story if it weren't for some upsetting
implications. This is exactly why we have reason to raise multiple eyebrows
at Congress, which wants to allow hundreds of similar drones to fly over US
airspace. These drones are still a relatively young technology, relatively
unproven, and relatively crash-prone. The odds of being hit by one are low, of
course, but should a Texas-style UAV plummet ever happen in, say, a dense urban
area, nobody would be laughing. Not all of us are driving around in Bearcats. [Examiner]

EPIC, COALITION LAUNCH PETITION TO ADDRESS PRIVACY THREAT POSED BY DRONES IN US

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 28, 2012
CONTACT:
Amie Stepanovich
202.483.1140 x 120
EPIC, COALITION LAUNCH PETITION TO ADDRESS PRIVACY THREAT POSED BY DRONES IN US
AIRSPACE
WASHINGTON, D.C. – EPIC, joined by more than 100 organizations, experts, and
members of the public, has sent a petition to the Federal Aviation
Administration, urging the agency to address the privacy threats associated
with the increased use of drones in the United States.
Congress recently passed legislation requiring the Agency to assess the safety
of drones used by commercial and government operators.
The petition asserts that "The privacy threat posed by the deployment of
drone aircraft in the United States is great. The public should be given the
opportunity to comment on this development."
Over 100 organizations, experts, and members of the public signed on to support
EPIC’s petition, including Bob Barr and Ralph Nader, two former candidates for
President, widely known for their efforts to safeguard privacy.
Separately, EPIC is also encouraging the White House to require the FAA to
develop privacy standards. Individuals can support that effort.
The Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) is a non-profit, public
interest research organization, established in 1994, to focus public attention
on emerging privacy issues.
LINKS
EPIC, Drones
http://www.epic.org/drones/
EPIC, FAA Privacy Drone Petition
http://epic.org/privacy/drones/FAA-553e-Petition-v-1.1.pdf
EPIC, White House Petition
http://wh.gov/9xq

2-29-12

United Yields to Military Families! United Reverses Their Unpopular Pet Travel Policy Cruise Line Passengers in Mexico Robbed TSA Announces Expanded Screening Program Privacy Petition for Domestic Drone Program What Kate's Saying United Bows to Customer Pressure - Offers Military Waiver Military families who were outraged at the prospect of paying hundreds of dollars in extra fees to ship their pets back home have been granted a reprieve from United Airlines and will be given waivers for the additional cost. Military pet owners who are moving due to military orders were facing a daunting prospect: paying anywhere from $1,400 - 2,856 in third-party cargo handling fees due to changes in United's pet handling policy as a result of their merger with Continental Airlines. United's decision to switch to Continental's "PetSafe" program was going to result in exponential increases in the cost that service members were required to pay, in some cases up to 1,300 percent! But an unexpectedly fierce backlash from military personnel and the general flying public made United rethink its policy. "We realized the impact it had on our military families," says United Airlines spokeswoman Mary Ryan in an article for USA Today. "We value our relationship with the military very much and just wanted to see what we could do to help alleviate that burden." Military families launched petitions and posted hundreds of negative comments on the companies' Facebook page when they learned of the policy change, due to be implemented March 3, 2012. Under the revised policy, pets no longer can be checked as baggage. It previously cost $250 when animals flew as baggage from the U.S. to most foreign countries. But instead of the planned cost increase, United announced a new special process that will allow their pets to be shipped without their owners having to pay those extra fees, Ryan says. Kate Hanni of FlyersRights.org, which had received many complaints from military families, says she's glad to hear that United decided to listen to its customers, especially its military families. "FlyersRights.org is so grateful that United Airlines heard the pleas of thousands of military families who did not want to abandon their pets," she says. Mexico Tourists Robbed after State Department Warning Twenty-two Carnival Cruise Lines tourists were robbed during a shore excursion tour in the Mexico resort town of Puerto Vallarta last Saturday, reported cruise officials in a statement released by the cruise line. This comes just two weeks after the US State Department released a travel warning to Americans to avoid all but essential travel to all or parts of 14 Mexican states, including the state of Jalisco. Puerto Vallarta is the sixth-largest city in Jalisco. Flyersrights.org just last week posted a story in our newsletter about the State Department warning and cautioned our members about taking extra precautions if traveling to Mexico. Details surrounding the robbery were sketchy, but the cruise line stated that there were no injuries and the tour was suspended on future sailings until further notice. The statement went on to say that they were working with guests to reimburse them for their lost valuables and assist them with lost passports or other forms of identification. Many other tourists to Mexico have not been so lucky. The travel warnings and reports of continuing violence throughout Mexico comes as it continues to battle the drug cartels and have caused many cruise lines to change their itineraries, either eliminating or severely curtailing activities in many ports of call. Mazatlan has been dropped from several cruise schedules after a dramatic increase in violent crimes against tourists. Puerto Vallarta has remained a popular destination for American tourists, especially college students on Spring Break. This recent robbery may reduce travel to the troubled area, in spite of Mexican officials' insistence that the tourist destinations remain safe for visitors. The deadly internal drug war that began in 2006 has claimed more than 50,000 lives. Again, FlyersRights.org does not want to discourage anyone from traveling to Mexico, but we strongly encourage our members to take precautions when traveling there. Make use of the State Department's web site and other travel advisory tools prior to departing for Mexico to assure you have the latest information available. Travel in organized groups and stay close to the busier commerce districts. Use traveler's checks and only carry the minimum number of credit cards you need. Also be sure to make multiple copies of your travel documents like passports and keep them handy. It's a very good idea to program the phone number of the nearest American Consulate office into your cell phone or have it readily available in the event of problems. Have fun and please stay safe! TSA Announces Expansion of Streamlined Screening Program The TSA has announced an expansion of a trial program designed to expedite the pre-flight screening process for "select" passengers - those that are among the highest-status elite customers for the participating airlines. The "PreCheck" Expedited Security Program began testing last fall with eight US airports and is now expanding to three more, including Kennedy, O'Hare and Reagan National airports. The TSA is planning to add 27 more airports to the program by the end of the year. According to an article published recently in the New York Times, Participation in the program can be achieved in one of two ways: either by invitation from one of the airlines now working with the program, including American, Delta, United, US Airways and Alaska Airlines, or through a Global Entry program operated by the Customs and Border Protection agency. The Global Entry program will provide expedited entry into the US for international travelers who enroll and are designated as low-risk passengers after passing background checks. The program currently has over 260,000 participants. Travelers in the PreCheck program will be able to traverse security lines much more easily and will not be required to remove their shoes prior to screening. However, John Pistole, the TSA Administrator, noted that all participants are still subject to random full-security checks. "There is clear public support for moving away from the one-size-fits-all concept in checkpoint security, toward a multilayered approach partly based on intelligence," Mr. Pistole said. "Just from a policy standpoint, we wanted to validate that." For the general traveling public, who do not typically fly more than 100,000 miles annually, it is unlikely that they will benefit from the new program, at least for the near future. "As it relates to the entire traveling population, the 1.7 or 1.8 million who go through our checkpoints every day, I'd like to see more improvement in technology before we would make that kind of policy decision," Mr. Pistole said. "We're not ready to open it up across the board at this point, but I think there will be some technology developments that might in the future allow for a relaxation of rules on shoes and laptops, for example." This program is similar to a privately-run program called 'Clear' that ran special access lanes in about 20 airports before going out of business in 2009. The company now has new ownership, but currently only operates at two airports, although there are plans to expand it if the business model is more successful. Drone on! Petition for Privacy Rules for Domestic Drone Program Recently passed legislation that gives the FAA the green light to open American domestic airspace to drones has many privacy advocates gravely concerned. The FAA has been given a deadline of September 30, 2015 to open the nation's skies to drone use and has announced a public rulemaking hearing on the impact to public safety. The Electronic Privacy Information Center [EPIC] is circulating apetition that would compel the FAA to also include a hearing to evaluate the impact on privacy interests. Ninety days from now, police, firefighters and other civilian first responders will be allowed to fly UAV's weighing no more than 4.4 pounds, assuming they meet requirements that are still under development, such as ground operators being required to be within line-of-sight of the drone and flying it at least 400 feet above ground. By 2013, drones weighing up to 55 pounds can fly in American airspace according to the recently passed FAA bill. The deadline for full integration of drones into US airspace is September, 30, 2015. Privacy advocates are seriously concerned about the potential for abuse. "Right now, under current US laws, there are very few restrictions on our ability to take pictures or videos of individuals outside," said Harley Geiger, a policy attorney with the Center for Democracy and Technology in Washington DC in comments to Discovery News. "Some of the privacy issues that we see with drones are very different than the sort of surveillance that can be conducted with a helicopter. Drones can quietly watch an entire town without refueling. It can conduct a pervasive and secret surveillance that helicopters cannot match." Amie Stepanovich, Legal Counsel for EPIC, also expressed concern about the proposed changes. "The proliferation of drones in our skies is an imminent threat to privacy and something should be addressed now." The petition states, "The use of drones in US airspace poses a real threat to important privacy interests, and the agency has the authority to regulate the use of drones." The impact of this legislation is obvious and although we certainly see the advantages of leveraging this new technology, we also see the frightening potential for abuse if it is not carefully managed and controlled. We urge our members to please view the petition and evaluate this complex and important issue. We will continue to keep our readers informed. What Kate's Saying As Flyersrights.org continues to celebrate its hard fought victory in Congress for airline passengers, many of our members have recently contacted us to ask a very sensible question: "What Now?!" What will the goals and objectives of this organization be now that we have achieved our primary objective of protecting passengers from excessive imprisonment aboard delayed aircraft? Kate Hanni wants to assure our members that our primary mission remains the same: to protect the rights and privileges of the flying public. But we want to focus on the issues that concern our members the most and with that in mind, we will soon be conducting a survey to determine how to best prioritize the many problems that continue to plague modern air travel. Please watch your e-mail in the coming weeks and take a few minutes to participate in the survey and let us hear your thoughts about what should be our most critical priorities as we go forward working for you! Follow us on Facebook and Twitter. "The War Is Not Over" Click here to contribute to FlyersRights.org! Donate to the Flyers Rights Education Fund (tax-deductible!) www.flyersrights.org Hotline: (877) 359-3776

Airlines Post Best December On-Time Record, Lowest December Cancellation Rate in 17 Years

No Tarmac Delays Longer than Three Hours on Domestic Flights or Four Hours on International Flights in December

The nation’s largest airlines posted an on-time arrival record last December of 84.4 percent, the highest on-time percentage for any December during the 17 years the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has collected comparable flight delay data. According to DOT’s Air Travel Consumer Report, the carriers also had a 0.8 percent rate of canceled flights, the lowest December cancellation rate for the last 17 years.

The December on-time rate posted by the 16 reporting carriers was up from the 72.0 percent rate of December 2010, but down slightly from November 2011’s 85.3 percent, according to data filed with the Department’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS). The carriers’ on-time percentage for all of 2011 was 79.6 percent, compared to 79.8 percent in 2010.

December’s 0.8 percent cancellation rate was down from December 2010’s 3.7 percent rate but up from November 2011’s 0.7 percent.

Airlines also reported no tarmac delays of more than three hours on domestic flights or more than four hours on international flights in December. The larger U.S. airlines have been required to report long tarmac delays on their domestic flights since October 2008. Under a new rule that took effect Aug. 23, 2011, all U.S. and foreign airlines operating at least one aircraft with 30 or more passenger seats must report lengthy tarmac delays at U.S. airports. Also beginning Aug. 23, carriers operating international flights may not allow tarmac delays at U.S. airports to last longer than four hours. There is a separate three-hour limit on tarmac delays involving domestic flights, which went into effect in April 2010. Exceptions to the time limits for both domestic and international flights are allowed only for safety, security or air traffic control-related reasons.

The monthly Air Travel Consumer Report also includes data on chronically delayed flights and the causes of flight delays filed with BTS by the reporting carriers. In addition, the report contains information on airline bumping, reports of mishandled baggage filed by consumers with the carriers and consumer service, disability and discrimination complaints received by DOT’s Aviation Consumer Protection Division. This report also includes reports of incidents involving pets traveling by air, as required to be filed by U.S. carriers. Calendar year 2011 data are contained in the report in a number of areas as well as data for December 2011.

Chronically Delayed Flights

At the end of December, there was one flight that was chronically delayed – more than 30 minutes late more than 50 percent of the time – for two consecutive months. No flights were chronically delayed for three consecutive months or more. A list of flights that were chronically delayed for a single month is available from BTS (www.bts.gov).

Causes of Flight Delays

In December, the carriers filing on-time performance data reported that 4.69 percent of their flights were delayed by aviation system delays, compared to 4.90 percent in November; 5.19 percent by late-arriving aircraft, compared to 4.72 percent in November; 4.46 percent by factors within the airline’s control, such as maintenance or crew problems, compared to 3.97 percent in November; 0.33 percent by extreme weather, compared to 0.26 percent in November; and 0.03 percent for security reasons, equal to 0.03 percent in November. Weather is a factor in both the extreme-weather category and the aviation-system category. This includes delays due to the re-routing of flights by DOT’s Federal Aviation Administration in consultation with the carriers involved. Weather is also a factor in delays attributed to late-arriving aircraft, although airlines do not report specific causes in that category.

Data collected by BTS also shows the percentage of late flights delayed by weather, including those reported in either the category of extreme weather or included in National Aviation System delays. In December, 34.60 percent of late flights were delayed by weather, down 5.64 percent from December 2010, when 36.67 percent of late flights were delayed by weather, and down 7.46 percent from November when 37.39 percent of late flights were delayed by weather.

Detailed information on flight delays and their causes is available on the BTS site on the World Wide Web at http://www.bts.gov.

Mishandled Baggage

The U.S. carriers reporting flight delays and mishandled baggage data posted a mishandled baggage rate of 3.37 reports per 1,000 passengers in December, down from December 2010’s rate of 4.72, but up from November 2011’s rate of 2.72. For all of last year, the carriers posted a mishandled baggage rate of 3.39 per 1,000 passengers, an improvement over 2010’s rate of 3.51.

Bumping

The report also includes airline reports of involuntary denied boarding, or bumping, for calendar year 2011 and the fourth quarter of last year. The 16 U.S. carriers who report on-time performance and mishandled baggage data posted a bumping rate of 0.81 per 10,000 passengers last year, down from the 1.09 rate posted in 2010. For the fourth quarter of last year, the carriers posted a bumping rate of 0.71 per 10,000 passengers, down from the 0.80 rate for the fourth quarter of 2010.

Incidents Involving Pets

In December, carriers reported five incidents involving the loss, death or injury of pets while traveling by air, down from the seven reports filed in December 2010, but up from November 2011’s total of two. December’s incidents involved three pet deaths, one pet injury, and one lost pet. For all of last year, carriers reported 35 pet deaths, nine pet injuries, and two lost pets. In 2010, carriers reported 39 pet deaths, 13 pet injuries, and five lost pets.

Complaints About Airline Service

In December, the Department received 710 complaints about airline service from consumers, down 6.1 percent from the 756 complaints received in December 2010, and down 18.7 percent from the total of 873 filed in November 2011. For all of last year, the Department received 11,545 complaints, 5.1 percent higher than the 10,988 complaints received in 2010.

Complaints About Treatment of Disabled Passengers

The report also contains a tabulation of complaints filed with DOT in December against airlines regarding the treatment of passengers with disabilities. The Department received a total of 58 disability-related complaints in December 2011, up from both the 38 disability complaints received in December 2010 and the total of 45 filed in November 2011. For all of last year, the Department received 630 disability complaints, up 10.1 percent from the total of 572 received in 2010.

Complaints About Discrimination

In December, the Department received seven complaints alleging discrimination by airlines due to factors other than disability – such as race, religion, national origin or sex – down from both the total of 14 filed in December 2010, and the nine discrimination complaints received in November 2011. For all of last year, the Department received 127 discrimination complaints, down 11.2 percent from the total of 143 filed in 2010.

Consumers may file their complaints in writing with the Aviation Consumer Protection Division, U.S. Department of Transportation, C-75, W96-432, 1200 New Jersey Ave. SE, Washington, DC 20590; by voice mail at (202) 366-2220 or by TTY at (202) 366-0511; or on the web at http://airconsumer.dot.gov.

Consumers who want on-time performance data for specific flights should call their airline’s reservation number or their travel agent. This information is available on the computerized reservation systems used by these agents. The information is also available on the appropriate carrier’s website.

The Air Travel Consumer Report can be found on DOT’s World Wide Web site at http://airconsumer.dot.gov. It is available in “pdf” and Microsoft Word format.

Facts

AIR TRAVEL CONSUMER REPORT

December 2011

KEY ON-TIME PERFORMANCE AND FLIGHT CANCELLATION STATISTICS

Based on Data Filed with the Bureau of Transportation Statistics

by the 16 Reporting Carriers

Overall

84.4 percent on-time arrivals

Highest On-Time Arrival Rates

1. AirTran Airways – 91.9 percent
2. Hawaiian Airlines – 91.0 percent
3. Delta Air Lines – 88.5 percent

Lowest On-Time Arrival Rates

1. Frontier Airlines – 73.2 percent
2. ExpressJet Airlines – 76.3 percent
3. Continental Airlines – 79.8 percent

Domestic Flights with Longest Tarmac Delays

There were no domestic flights with tarmac delays of more than three hours in December.

International Flights with Longest Tarmac Delays

There were no international flights with tarmac delays of more than four hours in December.

Highest Rates of Canceled Flights

1. SkyWest Airlines – 2.2 percent

2. ExpressJet Airlines – 1.5 percent

3. American Eagle Airlines – 1.2 percent

Lowest Rates of Canceled Flights

1. Hawaiian Airlines – 0.0 percent*

2. Frontier Airlines – 0.2 percent

3. JetBlue Airways – 0.2 percent

*Hawaiian Airlines canceled two flights in December.

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