Effective immediately, Secretary Peters said, the Department of Defense and the FAA will collaborate to open military airspace to commercial flights, and make a series of operational adjustments - such as new procedures that will increase the number of planes that can land at the busy JFK and Newark airports in bad weather and implementing a moratorium on non-essential maintenance and operations - to keep the air travel system running at full capacity. These policy changes will increase airspace and airport efficiency and help reduce delays caused by weather and holiday congestion, she said.
"We are determined not to let airline delays turn holiday cheer into runway gloom," Secretary Peters said. "These new steps will help provide travelers relief from hold-ups and delays."
The Department also today issued new proposals to increase passenger rights and protections before the next winter travel season. These include a new proposal to require airlines to create legally binding contingency plans for extended tarmac delays, respond to all consumer complaints within 30 days, publish complaint information online, and provide on-time performance information for their international flights in addition to their domestic flights.
Secretary Peters also announced that the Department is proposing to require airlines to include all cancelled flights and tarmac delays in their monthly delay reports, something they aren't currently required to do. The Department also is issuing a second notice of proposed rulemaking to increase the required financial compensation for passengers involuntarily "bumped" from their flights.
"Nobody looks forward to having their flight delayed or cancelled, but these rules will ease uncertainty, smooth inconveniences and give travelers due compensation for their troubles." Secretary Peters said.
You can access the rules by going to http://docketsinfo.dot.gov/
