Despite Recent Severe Weather, Travelers Blame Airlines Most for Flight Delays

A majority of air travelers have been delayed within the past three months -- and they are holding the airlines responsible, according to a new survey focused on consumer perceptions of the causes for air travel delays.

The survey was conducted by market research firm TNS and was based on interviews August 16-19 with 2,500 members of the TNS US online panel. Respondents were screened for past month travel and past three-month air travel.

Just this month, a Federal Aviation Administration report named June 2007 one of the worst travel months in U.S. history. At the same time, the Department of Transportation stated that the first half of 2007 was the worst for air travel delays in 13 years, when the department first began keeping statistics. The TNS study reveals that among those who expect to travel over the Labor Day holiday, 30 percent plan to travel by air. Despite the delays, the Air Transport Association expects 15.7 million passengers will fly over the Labor Day Weekend -- a 2.6 percent increase over last year. As the already busy skies become increasingly crowded this
holiday weekend, consumers can only hope that airlines will be prepared to meet the demand.

"What's interesting is that consumers are now blaming the airline itself for their travel delays more often than they blame the obvious culprits -- weather, increased summer air traffic, or both," says Tim Gohmann, senior vice president, Travel & Leisure, TNS North America. "Airlines have the opportunity to address the contributing factors such as overbooking and mechanical failure and win back some of the trust of consumers. Consumers, on the other hand, should approach Labor Day weekend prepared to face the same delays they have experienced throughout the summer."

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Minn. Teamsters Push Gov. In Bridge Rebuilding

Teamsters Local 120, which represents nearly 14,000 members and is the largest Teamsters Local Union in Minnesota, is pressing Governor Tim Pawlenty and the state legislature for change to the state's transportation policy.

"The bridge collapse was a tragedy for the Twin Cities, for Minnesota and for the nation," says Teamsters Local 120 President Brad Slawson. "The horrific loss of lives -- including that of a Teamster delivery driver -- is testament to the need for fundamental change."

"Rebuilding the bridge is an important first step," continues Slawson. "However, the new bridge must represent more than a mere span of concrete and steel. Instead, it must serve as a monument to Minnesota's renewed commitment to safe, efficient and responsible transportation."

Teamsters Local 120 urged Pawlenty to view bridge reconstruction as a matter of practicality rather than politics. "Teamsters Local 120 members -- along with thousands of union members employed in the building trades -- are ready, willing and able to contribute to the
reconstruction of the I-35W bridge," Slawson says. "It's a matter of pride and patriotism. Allowing these union members to put their skills to work will mean getting a quick and quality rebuild. It will also provide good jobs to construction workers who have been idled by an industry slowdown."

Given the tragic circumstances, Slawson expressed confidence that Governor Pawlenty would not succumb to the political temptation of directing bridge reconstruction work to non-union contractors that traditionally support Republicans. "Safety, not politics, should be
Minnesota's first concern," he says. Slawson says he didn't think that Pawlenty's recent request for the assistance of Minnesota's congressional delegation in securing regulatory waivers should be used as an excuse to suspend labor standards.

However, Slawson says he is concerned about the Minnesota Department of Transportation's (MnDOT) pace in awarding preliminary contracts and requiring prequalification submissions. "Some degree of urgency is obviously necessary under the circumstances, but MnDOT must recognize that the tragedy of the bridge collapse does not somehow trump the applicability of state and federal labor laws during reconstruction," says Slawson. "Minnesotans support a reconstruction timeline that results in a responsibly built bridge that will safely serve motorists for years to come. They aren't interested in hurriedly and haphazardly assembling something more akin to a political prop than a long-lasting bridge."

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TSA Launches Airport-Wide Security Surge

The U.S. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) announced the first in a series of airport employee security operations to increase security measures at U.S. airports. The surge operation is underway at Orlando International, TampaInternational, Miami International, Ft. Lauderdale/Hollywood Internationaland Luis Munoz Marin International (San Juan, P.R.) airports.

TSA has deployed 160 transportation security officers, aviation security inspectors, federal air marshals and other personnel to increase current employee and passenger security capabilities at these five airports. TSA began randomly screening employees working in secure areas of the airport approximately one year ago at 20 airports, and broadened the program early last fall. Now, roving groups of officers screen employees on a random and unpredictable basis nationwide, the agency says.

TSA was created to boost airport and airline security following the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

"TSA moves in a flexible, nimble fashion to address vulnerabilities with a layered security approach," says TSA Administrator Kip Hawley. "Every employee should have a reasonable expectation that they could be screened at any time, at any access point within the footprint of the airport."

TSA will conduct additional operations in other regions in the coming weeks and months on an unannounced basis. While there is no intelligence that indicates a specific threat to aviation in Florida or Puerto Rico, this mobilization illustrates TSA's ability to quickly and unpredictably deploy assets based on risk, the agency says.

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