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Bush Vows To Find Relief For Fliers

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By KIMBERLY HEFLING, The Associated Press

Published: September 28, 2007

WASHINGTON - President Bush on Thursday promised to take steps to reduce air traffic congestion and long delays that have left travelers grounded.

'Endless hours sitting in an airplane on a runway with no communication between a pilot and the airport is just not right,' he said.

Bush met in the Oval Office with Transportation Secretary Mary Peters and acting Federal Aviation Administrator Bobby Sturgell. The president urged Congress to look at legislation to modernize the FAA and instructed Peters to report back to him quickly about ways to ensure that air passengers are treated appropriately and progress is made to ease congestion.

After the meeting, Peters said she is asking airlines to meet to formulate a plan to improve scheduling at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport. If no solution is found, she said, her department is prepared to issue a scheduling reduction order.

She said the department is also improving its complaint system and is acting to increase compensation for passengers involuntarily bumped from flights from $200 to more than $600.

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