FAA's pilot-fatigue plan hits wall with unions
9/17/2010 2:29 AM
By Alan Levin, USA TODAY
View full article
WASHINGTON --
Two union groups on Thursday rebuked the government's proposal to reduce on-the-job fatigue among the nation's pilots, a potential roadblock to the sweeping attempt to revamp pilot schedules.
The Allied Pilots Association, which represents American Airlines' 11,500 pilots, called the proposal by the Federal Aviation Administration "a big step backwards."
The Coalition of Airline Pilots Associations an umbrella group of pilot unions representing American, Southwest Airlines, US Airways and others said the FAA proposal "may have a negative impact on flight safety."
DRINKING: Pilots' alcohol limits debatedNEW RULES: Big change for pilots' schedulingNTSB: Pilots need air-hazard skills
The groups said that the FAA proposal that would allow pilots in some instances to fly up to two hours longer each day to 10 hours, up from eight would actually increase fatigue.
The FAA argued that other changes to reduce fatigue would ensure safety. The proposal calls for lowering the maximum number of hours a pilot can work each day, including paperwork and waiting for flights, and increasing the guaranteed rest period. It also proposed more restrictive schedules when pilots fly late at night or make numerous short flights, both of which can trigger fatigue.
Congress ordered new rules after last year's commuter plane crash near Buffalo raised concerns about fatigued pilots and safety. They must go into effect by Aug. 1.
Flight-safety advocates, who have applauded the proposal, said they feared that the objections by pilots and some carriers could create barriers to a new rule much like those that killed a similar proposal in 1995.
Bill Voss, president of the non-profit Flight Safety Foundation, called the proposal "a tremendous step forward on something that has been in gridlock because of labor-management distrust for over 20 years."
America's Best Airlines: It Might Shock You
By GARY STOLLER
USA TODAY
9/15/10, 3:01 PM EDT
Despite lower fares, passengers rank discount airlines higher in quality.
Despite lower fares, passengers consistently rank discount airlines higher in quality and service than better-known traditional carriers, a USA TODAY analysis of government and consumer survey data since 2004 shows.
The analysis — of Transportation Department consumer complaints, the Airline Quality Rating system of professors at Wichita State and Purdue universities, and consumer surveys of Zagat Survey and J.D. Power and Associates— finds that discounters JetBlue jblu, Southwest luv and Frontier rate among the top airlines.
Traditional, big-network airlines US Airways lcc, United uaua, Delta dal and American amr rank lowest in the data from the four sources, which were largely consistent in identifying stronger and weaker performers.
Analysts say USA TODAY's analysis indicates:
•There's no correlation between what passengers pay for flights and their satisfaction with an airline. Newer planes and a concentration on service often dictate customer satisfaction. JetBlue and other highly rated airlines "realize it's more than just a low fare" that attracts customers, says Stuart Greif, vice president at J.D. Power and Associates, which surveys fliers annually.
•Traditional airlines are often saddled with older jets, high labor costs and big networks with more connecting flights and international routes. As a result, they've "had to find ways to penny-pinch at the expense of customer satisfaction," says Tim Zagat, which also surveys annually.
•Consumer satisfaction can lead to better bottom-line results. Southwest and JetBlue, for instance, have posted better earnings than traditional carriers even during the severe travel downturn the last two years.
Many big network carriers have taken steps to improve performance and are showing results.
US Airways, for instance, saw complaints drop about 50% the first six months of this year compared with 2007, when it was merging with America West. Nearly 30% more flights arrived on time, and nearly 70% fewer bags were mishandled.
United's on-time performance and baggage handling improved since the start of last year, says airline spokesman Rahsaan Johnson, who calls those the "most important measures of consumer satisfaction."
Delta, meanwhile, has made a "corporate-wide commitment" to improving its ranking, hiring 1,000 more employees to help achieve it, says spokeswoman Susan Elliott.
But performance doesn't always translate quickly into higher consumer ratings. Consumers' perceptions can take time "to come up with reality," says US Airways Senior Vice President Kerry Hester.
9/17/2010 2:29 AM
By Alan Levin, USA TODAY
View full article
WASHINGTON --
Two union groups on Thursday rebuked the government's proposal to reduce on-the-job fatigue among the nation's pilots, a potential roadblock to the sweeping attempt to revamp pilot schedules.
The Allied Pilots Association, which represents American Airlines' 11,500 pilots, called the proposal by the Federal Aviation Administration "a big step backwards."
The Coalition of Airline Pilots Associations an umbrella group of pilot unions representing American, Southwest Airlines, US Airways and others said the FAA proposal "may have a negative impact on flight safety."
DRINKING: Pilots' alcohol limits debatedNEW RULES: Big change for pilots' schedulingNTSB: Pilots need air-hazard skills
The groups said that the FAA proposal that would allow pilots in some instances to fly up to two hours longer each day to 10 hours, up from eight would actually increase fatigue.
The FAA argued that other changes to reduce fatigue would ensure safety. The proposal calls for lowering the maximum number of hours a pilot can work each day, including paperwork and waiting for flights, and increasing the guaranteed rest period. It also proposed more restrictive schedules when pilots fly late at night or make numerous short flights, both of which can trigger fatigue.
Congress ordered new rules after last year's commuter plane crash near Buffalo raised concerns about fatigued pilots and safety. They must go into effect by Aug. 1.
Flight-safety advocates, who have applauded the proposal, said they feared that the objections by pilots and some carriers could create barriers to a new rule much like those that killed a similar proposal in 1995.
Bill Voss, president of the non-profit Flight Safety Foundation, called the proposal "a tremendous step forward on something that has been in gridlock because of labor-management distrust for over 20 years."
America's Best Airlines: It Might Shock You
By GARY STOLLER
USA TODAY
9/15/10, 3:01 PM EDT
Despite lower fares, passengers rank discount airlines higher in quality.
Despite lower fares, passengers consistently rank discount airlines higher in quality and service than better-known traditional carriers, a USA TODAY analysis of government and consumer survey data since 2004 shows.
The analysis — of Transportation Department consumer complaints, the Airline Quality Rating system of professors at Wichita State and Purdue universities, and consumer surveys of Zagat Survey and J.D. Power and Associates— finds that discounters JetBlue jblu, Southwest luv and Frontier rate among the top airlines.
Traditional, big-network airlines US Airways lcc, United uaua, Delta dal and American amr rank lowest in the data from the four sources, which were largely consistent in identifying stronger and weaker performers.
Analysts say USA TODAY's analysis indicates:
•There's no correlation between what passengers pay for flights and their satisfaction with an airline. Newer planes and a concentration on service often dictate customer satisfaction. JetBlue and other highly rated airlines "realize it's more than just a low fare" that attracts customers, says Stuart Greif, vice president at J.D. Power and Associates, which surveys fliers annually.
•Traditional airlines are often saddled with older jets, high labor costs and big networks with more connecting flights and international routes. As a result, they've "had to find ways to penny-pinch at the expense of customer satisfaction," says Tim Zagat, which also surveys annually.
•Consumer satisfaction can lead to better bottom-line results. Southwest and JetBlue, for instance, have posted better earnings than traditional carriers even during the severe travel downturn the last two years.
Many big network carriers have taken steps to improve performance and are showing results.
US Airways, for instance, saw complaints drop about 50% the first six months of this year compared with 2007, when it was merging with America West. Nearly 30% more flights arrived on time, and nearly 70% fewer bags were mishandled.
United's on-time performance and baggage handling improved since the start of last year, says airline spokesman Rahsaan Johnson, who calls those the "most important measures of consumer satisfaction."
Delta, meanwhile, has made a "corporate-wide commitment" to improving its ranking, hiring 1,000 more employees to help achieve it, says spokeswoman Susan Elliott.
But performance doesn't always translate quickly into higher consumer ratings. Consumers' perceptions can take time "to come up with reality," says US Airways Senior Vice President Kerry Hester.
