Networks Blame FAA, Not Airlines for Runway Problems

For a change, the media gave the government a hard time about air travel, instead of bashing the airlines. The media reported on new Federal Aviation Administration guidelines for better runway safety and on ABC's "World News with Charles Gibson" and CNN's "American Morning."

Lisa Stark said, "The FAA commission admits that runway collisions are an increasing threat," and cautioned that new rules could "lead to some more delays," but the report did not indicate that the airlines were a part of the problem.

This is in contrast to CBS's Randall Pinkston, who said August 12 that it would cost airlines more money to provide more services to passengers but charged: "airline analysts say [the airlines] can afford it," pointing to Northwest Airlines' $2 billion profit and neglecting to point out their bankruptcy status only a few months prior.

Likewise, on August 15 NBC's Meredith Vieira asked Northwest Airlines CEO to guarantee no more flights would be cancelled.

But Jessica Yellin at "American Morning" focused on FAA's problems, explaining that the agency is understaffed and isn't able to handle the "62 million takeoffs and landings every year." She also noted the agency said being overworked leaves FAA employees "fatigued and more likely to make mistakes."

The "American Morning" report also hit at improving air traffic control technology:

KIRAN CHETRY (HOST): What about updating technology? Any discussion about improving new tools that are available to pilots during their takeoff and landing?

JESSICA YELLIN: Yeah, the FAA did talk about some new technologies. But their really more focused first on the short term fixes and then when they get to the new technology they said their going to look at new technology that helps air traffic controllers determine where all the planes are in their taxiing and landing patterns. So really for the air traffic controllers, that's where they'll update the technology.

The ABC and CNN reports said the Federal Aviation Administration is recommending new pilot training on taxiing, repainting runways with brighter paint, reviews of airports, and new taxiing procedures to minimize pilot distractions.

The Wall Street Journal August 13 said the air traffic control system "approached gridlock early this summer, with more than 30% of June flights late, by an average of 62 minutes."