On behalf of the passengers who expect us to fly them to their destinations safely

Later today, I will convene a summit with representatives from the major air carriers, their regional partners, aviation industry groups and labor. Our topic: improving airline safety.

FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt and I are bringing the FAA and industry leaders together to produce an immediate “to do” list to assure the flying public that all our carriers--including our regional carriers--are operating as safely as possible.

Our highest priority is protecting lives. To that end, we will act quickly to set effective industry standards on crew education, training and performance, professionalism, and flight discipline.

Every one of us who gathers here today has a responsibility to take the necessary steps to make flying safer. And, we will make sure that carriers and their regional partners are working together on all aspects of safety.

Our goal is simple: We must inspire confidence in every traveler, every time he or she steps onto a commercial aircraft of any size, at any airport in the country.

It's an enormous responsibility; it's our highest duty. And, I look forward to a productive session today.

Comments

[Walt McElligott, Beecher, IL]

Ray,
If youre trying to inspire confidence in the flying public, why is the FAA, US DOT continuing to allow IL to make believe it is going to build a 6th Chicago area airport near Peotone, IL? You are already funding the expansion of Gary/Chicago, Rockford, & Milwaukee/Mitchell airports, each of which could be a reliever to O'Hare & Midway in Chicago if really needed. Walt, Beecher, IL

[Elliott]

Well it’s time to wake up, I agree. Recover trust; again I agree. Expect us to fly safely--give us the information so that we can decide our own fate.

As a turnaround executive who is a Platinum flyer on American airlines I have little trust in the regional’s—which I am forced to fly weekly.

If you want to bring back trust and increase safety, then I suggest an easy solution—prohibit the mainlines from calling these regional’s by their faux name—“Mainline Express or “Mainline Link.” Instead require
the Mainlines to call/advertise the regional by their own name. not the mainline's.

When I book a flight on United’s web site, or Americans for example (they all do it), I should clearly see that instead of flying United or American I am flying Cogan or Global (there are new one daily)or some other startup airline. If people knew that they were flying Colgan Air, they would make their own choices as to whether or not they wanted to trust Colgan. Colgan Air for example should be used not Continental Express--the mainlines name. When I ask whether a mainline flies from CVG to ORD I should be told the two flights a day that they fly and should be required to ask if another airline flies the route. Now I am told that the mainline flies 4-7 times a day when infact I know that they fly twice a day.

When I look out the window of my airport I should clearly see the name of the real company that ostensibly owns and fly's the plane painted on its side. When I go to the airport and talk to the agents, I should see not the mainline name and uniform but
instead the real company who employs these agents, ramp and mechanics. It’s a fraud upon the people otherwise.

I find that in my line of work, executives have a tough enough time managing their own company let alone an outsourced company with a model and employee totally different than their own. I also find that the mainline employees are radically different; more experienced, better trained.

Based upon my experience, I assure you that if we do this—this outsourcing to inferior trained, paid and managed contractors will end and trust and safety will indeed be restored.

[Port Canaveral Transportation - United Luxury Transportation]

Flying could be made safer only when we think together and take steps to work on that. Correctly said above, make sure that carriers and their regional partners are working together on all aspects of safety.

[Cate]

What are your plans on pilots' records? According to newsy.com an multple other sources, airline employers are not allowed to access a pilot's records without the pilot signing a waiver. http://www.newsy.com/videos/securing_safety_standards Therefore, if a pilot DID fail a test, employers have no way of knowing. This policy seems flawed to me since these pilots have the lives of thousands upon thousands of people in their hands.