First 11 months of 2011 were safest for air travel since 1945

If you suffer from a fear of flying, here’s something that might calm your nerves: The first 11 months of 2011 have been the safest period for commercial air travel since 1945.

The global accident rate for January through November was 22% better than the same time last year and marked the safest period since a United Nations aviation agency began collecting data in 1945, according to the International Air Transport Assn., an airline trade group that issued a recent safety report based on the UN data.

Globally, there have been 486 passenger and crew fatalities in the first 11 months of the year, down from 784 fatalities in the same period last year, according to the trade group. In the first 11 months of 2011, the accident rate was 2.16 per million passenger takeoffs, down from 2.78 per million in the same period last year.

The most common accidents this year have been “runway excursions,” which occur when airplanes veer off or overrun the runway. Such incidents represented 23% of all accidents in that period, according to the report.

A spokesman for the trade group said he didn’t know why the first 11 months have been so safe but added that several changes over the years have improved overall aviation safety.

For example, IATA spokesman Perry Flint said manufacturers now build more reliable airplanes that include backup safety systems. He added that more countries are adopting international safety standards and annual safety audits.

“In general,” Flint said, “the safety trend line is moving in the right direction.”

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-- Hugo Martin

Photo: A plane takes off from Los Angeles International Airport. Credit: Los Angeles Times. 

Consumer Confidential: Holiday travel, higher airfares, Acura redux

Here's your watching-the-detectives Wednesday roundup of consumer news from around the Web:

— Downturn, shmownturn. Despite continued worries about the economy, more Americans are expected to hit the highway this holiday season. AAA says it expects 91.9 million Americans — about 30% of the population — to travel at least 50 miles from home during the 11-day, year-end holiday season. That's up 1.4% from a year ago, making it the second-highest travel volume in the past 10 years. The majority (about 91%) of travelers are expected to venture forth by automobile, a 2.1% increase from a year ago. That comes in the face of high prices at the pump, with gas prices 29 cents higher than a year ago. On the other hand, air travel is expected to decline slightly. (CNN Money)

— And there's a reason for that. If you thought it was more expensive to fly this year, you're right. Average domestic airfares rose to $370 in the second quarter of 2011,up 8.5% from the average fare of $341 in the second quarter of 2010, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation. Second-quarter fares increased 3.9% from the first quarter, the second consecutive quarterly increase. And total prices may be even higher than government says. Fares in the study include only the price paid at the time of the ticket purchase and do not include other charges such as baggage fees, paid at the airport or on board the aircraft. (ConsumerAffairs.com)

— Honda's Acura brand isn't so ritzy after all. The carmaker had always hoped its Acura line could emulate Toyota and Nissan, which successfully propelled the Lexus and Infiniti brands, respectively, into the rarefied luxury-car tier alongside Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Cadillac. It never quite happened, and Honda now says it will try to reposition Acura as a mid-range, fuel-efficient brand. Over the next few years, Acura will introduce a new compact sedan, the ILX, built on Honda's global Civic platform, replacing the TSX. A redesigned RL flagship is expected by next fall, followed by a redesigned mid-sized TL sedan in the spring of 2013. (ConsumerAffairs.com)

— David Lazarus

Photo: Despite economic hard times, more people are expected to hit the road this holiday season. Credit: Michael Robinson Chavez / Los Angeles Times

 

Turnover of truck drivers is surging -- good sign for the economy

Competition for top-notch drivers at large trucking companies has steadily picked up over the past year -- a sure sign that the U.S. economy is growing, according to the American Trucking Assn.

The turnover rate of drivers at big fleets rose to 89% in the third quarter of this year, the fourth straight quarterly jump, the association said Monday.

"Clearly, due to the economic recovery, as well as regulatory factors ... we are seeing the market for good, quality drivers tighten," said Bob Costello, the group's chief economist. "As our tonnage index has shown recently, demand for freight continues to rise, so we expect the need for quality drivers to become more acute going forward."

That supply could tighten even more if government safety regulations force some current drivers to leave the industry and require trucking companies to put more big rigs on the road, Costello said.

The turnover rate hit a low point in the first quarter of 2010 but since then has climbed by 50 percentage points, the trucking association said. The average rate so far this year is 81%.

Among smaller companies, the turnover rate rose to 57% in the third quarter, its highest level in three years, the association said.

The American Trucking Assn. is the largest national trade group for the trucking industry, with affiliated groups in all 50 states.

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-- Marc Lifsher

Photo: Trucks on the Long Beach Freeway going to and from the nearby shipping ports. Credit: Brian Vander Brug / Los Angeles Times

TSA to expand faster security check program

In the two months since the federal government launched a program letting fliers who provide background information to zip through special airport security checkpoints, more than 120,000 passengers have taken advantage of the program.

Fliers who participate in the Transportation Security Administration’s PreCheck program don’t have to remove shoes, belts or coats at designated airport checkpoints. So far, the TSA has invited only some frequent fliers with Delta and American airlines to participate in PreCheck at airports in Atlanta, Dallas, Detroit and Miami.

The number of passengers using PreCheck is expected to grow quickly because TSA Administrator John Pistole announced last week that first-class and other “elite” passengers on United and Continental airlines will be allowed to participate in the program next year.

United and Continental are set to merge by March to create the nation’s largest airline.

The program is also expected to expand to airports in Las Vegas, Minneapolis and Los Angeles early next year. The idea behind the program is to allow TSA agents to devote more resources to checking high-risk passengers and travelers the agency knows little about.

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Photo: A TSA official displays how full-body scanners work at Los Angeles International Airport. Credit: Los Angeles Times

American Airlines bankruptcy: 'Business as usual' for passengers

The parent company for American Airlines, the nation's third largest carrier, filed for bankruptcy, citing high labor costs and a volatile economy.

American Airlines, the largest carrier at Los Angeles International Airport, sought to assure passengers that the filing would not affect their travel plans, saying all tickets, reservations and reward points would be honored.

"American Airlines remains open for business," said Craig Kreeger, the airline's vice president for customer experience. "It's business as usual."

Until it filed for Chapter 11 protection Tuesday, AMR Corp. represented the last major network carrier in the U.S. to avoid bankruptcy in the tumultuous decade since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

Many of American Airlines' competitors that renegotiated labor contracts and debts in the bankruptcy process have reported strong profit margins in the past few years.

But AMR posted a net loss of $884 million in the nine months that ended Sept. 30, more than double the loss of the prior year's nine-month period.

The board of directors of AMR Corp. also announced Tuesday that it had appointed Thomas W. Horton chairman and chief executive officer of the company, succeeding Gerard Arpey, who informed the board of his plans to retire.

Arpey, 53, was chief executive officer since 2003 and chairman since 2004.

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-- Hugo Martin

Photo: An American Airlines plane at Los Angeles International Airport. Credit: Los Angeles Times

 

Parent of American Airlines files for bankruptcy

 

The parent company of American Airlines, facing its fourth straight year of operating at a loss, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on Tuesday, a move designed to reduce debts and cut labor and other costs.

AMR Corp., which also announced a new chief executive, said it was running normal flight schedules and that reservations, frequent-flier programs and all other operations were conducting business as usual.

AMR said in a release that all of its major rival airlines had restructured their costs and debts through bankruptcy reorganization, giving the company a "very substantial cost disadvantage compared to our larger competitors."

AMR also cited global economic uncertainty, rising fuel costs and increasing competition as factors compounding its troubles. “Our board decided that it was necessary to take this step now to restore the company's profitability, operating flexibility and financial strength," said Thomas W. Horton, AMR's newly appointed chairman and chief executive.

The company said Tuesday that Horton was named chairman and chief executive of both AMR and American Airlines. He replaces AMR Chief Executive Gerard Arpey, who has decided to retire.

In its filing with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in New York, AMR said it had $24.7 billion in assets and $29.6 billion in debt as of Sept. 30. The company said it has about $4.1 billion in cash and short-term investments to pay its vendors and suppliers.

For the nine months ended Sept. 30, AMR posted a net loss of $884 million, more than double the loss of the prior year's nine-month period.

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 -- Don Lee

Ten years later, TSA screening still frustrates air travelers

Ten years since the Transportation Security Administration was launched, the airport screening process remains among the top frustrations for most air travelers, a new survey found.

When asked to list their top five frustrations with air travel, a majority of air travelers who were surveyed listed four gripes related to the TSA's security checkpoints.

The findings came from an online survey by the U.S. Travel Assn., the nation's largest travel trade group. It was released to mark the 10th anniversary of the Aviation and Transportation Security Act, which created the TSA in November 2001. The association surveyed 600 Americans who traveled by air in the last 12 months.

The top five frustrations cited by air travelers:

1. People who bring too many carry-on bags through the security checkpoint (72.4%).

2. Uncomfortable seats on an airplane (70.4%).

3. The wait time to clear the TSA checkpoint (68%).

4. Having to remove shoes, belts and jackets at the T.A checkpoint (62.3%).

5. TSA employees who are not friendly (42.4%).

But the survey offered some good news for the TSA: 66% of air travelers said they are somewhat or very satisfied with the TSA's overall performance. The satisfaction rate was lower, 54.6%, for frequent travelers.

Also, nearly 75% of travelers said they were somewhat or very satisfied with the TSA's recent announcement that the agency will eventually phase out the requirement for passengers to remove their shoes.

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-- Hugo Martin

Photo: TSA agents search passengers at Los Angeles International Airport. Credit: Los Angeles Times

First airline is fined for stranding passengers on tarmac

American Eagle Airlines has agreed to pay a $900,000 fine for stranding hundreds of passengers on several delayed flights, marking the first penalty issued under a rule adopted by the U.S. Department of Transportation in April 2010.

The Transportation Department rule forbids airlines from keeping passengers on a delayed domestic flight for more than three hours or four hours for an international flight. To avoid a fine, airlines must offer stranded passengers food and water and the option to return to a terminal. The maximum fine is $27,500 per passenger.

The fine against American Eagle, a regional affiliate of American Air Lines, stems from lengthy delays at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport on May 29. A total of 15 planes, carrying 608 passengers, were stuck on the tarmac for three hours or more.

Because of heavy fog and thunderstorms on that day, air traffic controllers canceled departures for several hours. However, an investigation by the Transportation Department found that American Eagle continued to land flights later that day, creating a backlog of flights. In many cases, American Eagle didn't have enough pilots and crew to operate planes that were loaded with passengers and waiting at the gates, according to Transportation Department records.

"We put the tarmac rule in place to protect passengers, and we take any violation very seriously," U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said in a statement.

The tarmac delay rule, spurred by several notorious cases of flight delays, including the plight of passengers stranded for nearly six hours on a plane in Rochester, Minn., in 2009, offer exemptions for safety, security or air traffic control-related reasons.

Under the consent order, American Eagle must pay $650,000 within 30 days, and up to $250,000 can be paid through refunds, vouchers and frequent flier miles offered the passengers on the delayed flights.

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-- Hugo Martin

Photo: An American Eagle plane waits on the tarmac on Boston's Logan International Airport. Credit: Associated Press

Stranded passengers may not be able to sue, attorney says

JetBlue Airways and the parent company for American Airlines could face stiff fines for stranding hundreds of passengers in planes on an airport tarmac for seven hours during a snowstorm last month. But a lawyer who specializes in business litigation says the passengers probably can’t sue over the ordeal.

JetBlue has apologized and offered to refund the airfares and pay for round-trip tickets for future travel for passengers on six JetBlue flights that were stranded on the tarmac at Bradley International Airport near Hartford, Conn., during a heavy storm that disrupted thousands of flights.

Under U.S. Department of Transportation rules, airlines that keep passengers in a grounded plane for three hours or more for domestic flights or four hours or more for international flights can be fined up to $27,000 per passenger.

The agency is investigating both airlines, but a spokesman said the rules exempt airlines that keep passengers on the tarmac because trying to return them to the terminal disrupts airport operations or creates a safety or security problem.

Since the new rule took effect in April 2010, the agency has yet to impose a fine on any airline.

It’s possible that the once-stranded passengers will get nothing more from the airline than the apology, the refunds and the extra airline tickets, said Hugh Totten, a Chicago attorney who has represented airlines in business litigation matters.

“While the new federal regulation limits tarmac delays to three hours, there are several exceptions to the rule,” he said. “Exceptions such as ‘disruption to airport operations’ or ‘passenger safety’ have been put in place, leaving passengers with no leverage for filing suit.”

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Photo: Some passengers at Bradley International Airport were able to get off a stranded plane. Credit: Erika Pesantes / South Florida Sun Sentinel

TSA chief says airport screening tactics are changing

Transportation Security Administration chief John Pistole told a congressional panel last week that his agency is overhauling the airport screening process that treats everyone the same, including infants and the elderly.

Pistole said the TSA is moving in a new direction to rely more on intelligence-gathering and targeting those travelers the TSA knows least about.

“Since I became TSA administrator, I have listened to ideas from people all over this country,” he told the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs on Wednesday.

Pistole said the agency is moving in the new direction by expanding several pilot security programs and changing the way children are searched.

But don’t expect the changes to cut down on the long airport security lines during the upcoming holiday travel season. TSA’s revised security tactics probably won’t be expanded nationwide for several months, a TSA spokesman said.

A pilot program that was launched last month and tested at four airports -- Miami, Dallas, Detroit and Atlanta -- lets passengers who volunteer personal information zip through a special screening lane without having to remove their shoes or jackets. Pistole told lawmakers that it has worked so well that he wants to expand it to more airports.

“We are working closely with other airlines and airports to determine when they may be operationally ready to join,” he said, without offering more details.

Another pilot program that was tested in Boston Logan International Airport deploys special “behavior detection officers” who chat with passengers in the terminal to detect suspicious behavior. Pistole said the program was recently expanded to Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport.

Pistole also said the agency has changed its policy for searching children under 12. TSA agents now have the discretion whether or not to perform a pat-down search on youngsters or require that they remove their shoes.

“By streamlining procedures for these lower-risk passengers through programs like these, TSA is better able to focus its finite resources on those who pose higher risks to transportation,” he said.

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Michael Hiltzik: Rick Perry runs off the highway

Texas Gov. Rick Perry's take on the federal Highway Trust Fund is something of a car wreck.

Perry's hastily assembled economic plan released Tuesday holds up the Highway Trust Fund as the model for how to "protect" federal funds from being raided by Congress for "unrelated purposes." The idea is to contrast the HTF with the Social Security trust fund, which Perry claims has been "pilfered...by spendthrift Washington politicians."

Thus Perry manages to demonstrate that he doesn't know the first thing about either fund.

Funded principally from federal gasoline taxes, the Highway Trust Fund has, in fact, been a disaster. In May, the Congressional Budget Office forecast that it would be out of money by mid-2012 -- in effect, bankrupt. By 2018, the CBO says, its shortfall of receipts versus proposed expenditures will be $80 billion.

Not even the right-wing Heritage Foundation would agree that it's been well-managed. In fact, Heritage offers a list of all the ways Congress has raided the fund -- for ferry boats and magnetic levitation research, among other things.

Congress borrows from the highway fund all the time. But it also requires the fund's balance to be invested in non-interest bearing securities, thus stiffing motorists on the interest their tax funds would accrue. By contrast, the Social Security trust fund must by law be invested in interest-paying Treasury bonds. That trust fund collected $117 billion in interest last year on its balance of more than $2.5 trillion -- a risk-free return of better than 4.6%.

Perry's critics in both parties will no doubt be picking apart all the details of his economic plan in coming days. But this one bollixed nugget leads us to ask: Did he do all his research this way?

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-- Michael Hiltzik

Photo: Rick Perry speaking in South Carolina on Tuesday. Credit: Mary Ann Chastain / Associated Press