Government Launches Web Site For Y2K Travel Warnings (U.S. Transportation Department)greenspun.com : LUSENET : TimeBomb 2000 (Y2000) : One Thread |
Government launches Web site for Y2K travel warnings
GLEN JOHNSON, Associated Press Writer
Saturday, October 1, 1999
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/news/archive/1999/10/01/national0148EDT0455.DTL[Fair Use: For Educational/Research Purposes Only]
(10-01) 01:48 EDT WASHINGTON (AP) -- Travelers heading overseas can now use the Internet to get information on the readiness of some 90 countries to handle year 2000 transportation problems, although a lack of detail brought complaints from a senator.
The new Web site, http://www.fly2k.dot.gov , was activated Thursday by the Transportation Department. It will be updated regularly and serve as the federal government's clearinghouse for Y2K travel information during the next three months.
For those interested in Australia's readiness, for example, the site says: ``Reports indicate steps are under way in the civil aviation Y2K programs of this country. However, there is insufficient information available to estimate the overall status of Y2K preparations at this time. It is difficult to estimate the likelihood, length or severity of any disruptions in the civil aviation system.''
The same description is included for numerous other countries, followed by a recommendation that travelers ``be prepared to cope with disruptions and delays in services.''
Such scant specifics brought complaints from Sen. Christopher Dodd, D-Conn., during a hearing on the transportation industry's 2000 readiness.
Saying carriers should be forthright themselves, Dodd threatened to introduce legislation grounding any U.S. aviation certificate holder that does not respond to a government questionnaire about Y2K readiness by mid-November.
Kenneth Mead, inspector general of the Transportation Department, told the hearing that 1,900 certificate holders have yet to respond. The Federal Aviation Administration said none are major airlines and many are manufacturing companies or one-plane crop-dusters.
Dodd also complained groups such as the International Air Transport Association, which represents 265 international airlines, were not making public all the information they had from members. An official of the association said airlines agreed to provide the information only if it was not made public.
Thomas Windmuller, who testified for the transport association, said passengers should trust the airlines to use the information wisely.
``I can't imagine any of our member airlines would ever compromise safety,'' Windmuller said.
The year 2000 problem can plague older computers because some were designed to recognize years in a two-digit format, such as ``99'' for 1999. Some systems may malfunction when the new century starts if they confuse ``00'' for 1900 instead of 2000.
That is of particular concern in aviation, where computers control everything from radar to runway lights. In June, the FAA announced that it had repaired and tested all of its computers, and U.S. and Canadian airlines recently offered the same assurance.
Questions linger about the readiness of airports both domestically and abroad, and the readiness of international airlines.
In launching the new site, Transportation Secretary Rodney Slater said that the top three travel destination from the United States -- Canada, Britain and Japan -- report they will be fully Y2K ready by the end of the year.
All told, the Web site covers almost 90 countries with direct service to and from the United States.
-- Diane J. Squire (sacredspaces@yahoo.com), October 01, 1999
Always fun to add to the DOT information...Federal Computer Week
SEPTEMBER 30, 1999 . . . 17:18 EDT
FAA: International airports, airlines still have Y2K work to do
BY COLLEEN O'HARA (ohara@fcw.com)
http://www.fcw.com/pubs/fcw/1999/0927/web-faay2k-9-30- 99.html[Fair Use: For Educational/Research Purposes Only]
Although the Federal Aviation Administration says it has successfully fixed Year 2000 bugs in the U.S. air traffic control system, airports and airlines still have some work to do before they will be ready for the end-of-the-year rollover, according to information released today by the FAA.
The FAA reported today that five of the 20 major U.S. international airports have not completed Year 2000 fixes. In addition, four out of the nine major U.S. international airlines have not completed their Year 2000 repairs. The data, which is posted at http://www.dot.gov/fly2k , did not identify the airports or airlines that still have to compete Year 2000 work.
However, when the total number of airlines and airports surveyed is taken into consideration, the percentages rise. For example, 88 out of 106 international airports in the United States said they plan to complete Year 2000 fixes by the end of September. In addition, 99 of 119 U.S. airlines providing international service said they will be finished with Year 2000 repairs.
The data was collected through June, with some updates received through August.
All airports and airlines surveyed said they will be Year 2000- compliant by the end of December. The data is based on information that airlines and airports reported to the FAA in response to a International Civil Aviation Organization survey.
In addition, the FAA posted on its Web site information about the state of Year 2000 readiness by foreign civil aviation authorities, airlines and airports. The information is based primarily on self- reported information and has not been verified by the FAA.
A lack of Year 2000 readiness does not necessarily mean flights into airports or on certain airlines will increase the risk of flying, the Transportation Department said today. To date, the FAA said it has not identified any aircraft safety problems associated with Year 2000 among manufacturersunder its jurisdiction.
-- Diane J. Squire (sacredspaces@yahoo.com), October 01, 1999.
DianeThanks! Took a look at Canada, WOW!!!! Don't think flying to Montreal would be a good idea. Alot of cities didn't even respond. Serious business if the public has no idea what is up. This suprised me and that is hard to do.
-- Brian (imager@home.com), October 01, 1999.
I'd go check Brian, but I can't seem to get ON the darned thing. (Even at the dot.gov level!)Must be "busy."
Diane
-- Diane J. Squire (sacredspaces@yahoo.com), October 01, 1999.
(Humm. Strange).See also...
Senate Y2K Committee 9/30/1999 Testimony Links: "Will Y2K Snarl Global Transportation?"
http://www.greenspun.com/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg.tcl?msg_id= 001VNI
-- Diane J. Squire (sacredspaces@yahoo.com), October 01, 1999.