USA: flight delays caused by computer breakdown

Problems with the Federal Aviation Adminstration (FAA)'s traffic management computer system at Georgia facility caused flight delays at U.S. airports on Tuesday.

An FAA Web site tracking airport status showed delays at about three dozen major airports across the country, largely centered in the northeastern U.S. The site advised passengers to "check your departure airport to see if your flight may be affected."

Source: eTurboNews; find article here>>.

"II International Tourism Law Conference": Cancun (Mexico), 30 - 31 October

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Is already available the Page of the "II International Tourism Law Conference", that will take place at Cancun, Mexico, next October, from 30 to 31.

This event is organized by the IIJ-UNAM - the Institute of Legal Researches of the National Authonomous University of Mexico, the University of Quintana Roo and the University of the Caribbean, being sponsored by IFTTA - the International Forum of Travel and Tourism Advocates and IBCDTur - the Brazil Institute of Tourism Sciences and Law. The Organization is Coordinated by Enrique Mota Flores.

With this event, will take place the First IFTTA North-American Conference of Tourism and Travel Law, with the presence of 3 Members of the Board of IFTTA: Phil Cameron and Laurence Gore, from the United States, and Manuel David Masseno, from Portugal. The Program includes papers to be presented by other IFTTA Members as Rui Badaró, from Brazil, and Enrique Mota Flores, from Mexico.

"Aviation security rules: European Commission to increase transparency"

The majority of rules relating to aviation security will be made available to the public, the European Commission has decided today. The publication of the EU list of prohibited articles will make it easier for passengers to know what they can – and cannot – take on board an aircraft, while it increases transparency of EU rules in this domain. This decision will not change the existing legislation relating to aviation security. Rather, the primary aim is to place a significant proportion of the rules – which have until now not been officially published – into the public domain, whilst not compromising aviation security.
Information on articles that are currently prohibited from being carried by passengers in their cabin baggage or hold baggage was until now only available through airlines or airports. Due to opinion of Advocate General Sharpston in Case C-345/06 (Heinrich) the Commission was forced to find a quick solution for passengers.
The existing Commission Regulation No 622/2003/EC laying down measures for the implementation of the common basic standards on aviation security and its subsequent amendments are repealed and replaced by two legislative acts, a Commission Regulation and a Commission Decision. All those elements of the existing rules that can be placed in the public domain without adversely prejudicing aviation security are in the Regulation, whereas the Decision contains those elements which are deemed sensitive to place in the public domain. An example of what will be contained in the Decision (and thus not made public) is the minimum performance standards of security screening equipment used at airports.
Besides, the adoption of the Regulation and Decision addresses the wishes that were expressed on several occasions by the European Parliament.
The Regulation will be published in the Official Journal of the European Union (and thus available via the official website ). In addition, it will be placed on the European Commission's Transport website:
The Decision is addressed to the Member States, who will be responsible of making available the elements contained in the Decision to duly authorised persons on a 'need-to-know' basis. This respects Regulation No 2320/2002/EC establishing common rules in the field of civil aviation security which requires in Article 8 both that certain measures "shall be kept secret and not published" and that the national authorities shall make available the rules on aviation security to parties on a need-to-know basis.

Source: curia.eu and europa.eu/rapid

Stephan Keiler

Caribbean: heavy hurricane season to be expected

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Adminstration (NOAA) revised its predictions for the 2008 hurricane season. In the August update to the Atlantic hurricane season outlook, NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center has increased the likelihood of an above-normal hurricane season and has raised the total number of named storms and hurricanes that may form. NOAA now projects an 85 percent probability of an above-normal season. The season could produce 14 to 18 named storms, including 7 to 10 hurricanes with three to six being intense (Category 3 strength or higher).

See details here>>.

USA: American Airline goes to court against displaying its fares in the net

As reported by The Dallas Morning News, American Airlines is suing the parent of meta-search Websites Kayak.com and Sidestep .com, for violating an agreement on the use of the airline's airfare content by displaying the airline's fares available through third parties. Kayak issued a statement saying that it terminated its agreement with American.

Find article here>>.

British Airways: Eurpoean top in lost luggage and flight delays?

The Times reports that due to a confidential study, British Airways loses more bags and operates more delayed planes than any other big airline in Europe. Allegedly nine passengers on every British Airways jumbo lose their bags. Last year BA lost 26.5 bags per 1,000 passengers, compared with 23 in 2006. In the first six months of 2008, 25.8 bags were mislaid per 1,000 travellers. According to the report, BA cannot lay the entire blame for its mislaid bags and delays on Terminal 5.

Find the article here>>.

USA: airline sues pilots and union over campaign

The lawsuit, filed by United Airlines in Chicago last Wednesday, seeks a preliminary injunction against the Air Line Pilots Association and four pilots claiming they had organized an effort to encourage pilots to call in sick. The airline accuses the union of conducting a "public campaign of intimidation" meant to discourage pilots from filling in for the pilots who used their sick time, "effectively engaging in a slowdown." United Airline claims such slowdowns had led to the cancellation of hundreds of flights.

Source: Intl. Herald Tribune; find article here>>.