Link dated 10/5 <:)=

Sen. Christopher Dodd, D-Conn., today followed through on his promise to introduce legislation to ground air carriers that fail to provide adequate Y2K information to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

Dodd, who is the vice chair of the Senate Special Committee on the Year 2000 Technology Problem, was joined today by Committee Chair Robert Bennett, R-Utah, in releasing the names of 1368 domestic air carriers that have failed to fill out an FAA questionnaire on Y2K readiness.

The two senators released a bill that will give airlines until Nov. 1 to respond to the FAA questionnaire.

While large airlines, airports and other transportation providers are well on track to complete Y2K fixes before the date roll-over, the dearth of Y2K information about small airlines and much of the shipping industry has officials at the US Department of Transportation (DOT) worried.

Hundreds of small air carriers nationwide have failed to respond to a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Y2K survey of more than 3,000 US airlines and roughly 500 airports, according to a recent testimony by DOT Inspector General Kenneth Mead.

The DOT's aviation concerns extend outside the United States as well. More than 30 of the 185 countries represented by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) have failed to respond to an ICAO Y2K survey.

More than 1 million passengers traveled from the United States to the 34 non-responding countries in 1998, the DOT found.

Mead's testimony suggested that the FAA look into restricting US flights to countries that fail to provide Y2K information.

A DOT spokesperson told Newsbytes last week that the FAA will probably follow the IG recommendation.

Another area of grave concern outlined in Mead's prepared testimony is the maritime shipping industry.

A recent US Coast Guard survey of shipping company Y2K readiness generated an anemic 43 percent response rate, setting off alarm bells for Y2K authorities.

The Coast Guard has, to date, taken 175 "actions" against shipping companies for failing to provide timely and accurate Y2K information. The Coast Guard further intends to keep some "high-risk" vessels out of US Ports during the period surrounding the date roll-over.

On the bright side, most large carriers and airports appear to have either completed or have very nearly completed their Y2K fixes, according to Mead's testimony.

The DOT's mission-critical systems are also Y2K ready.

-- Sysman (y2kboard@yahoo.com), October 06, 1999

Answers

Maybe the question should be is the FAA "Compliant".Didn't I read somewhere that IBM told the FAA that there was no way the FAA could be ready by rollover? And so what if a carrier responds to their dumb- ass survey...Yeah, we're compliant..now what? Just more political B.S.....OR maybe if those carriers who don't respond get grounded there will just be more business for those carriers we favor...for whatever reason.

-- Larry (Rampon@cyberramp.net), October 06, 1999.

Sorry, forgot to link the link! Try This <:)=

-- Sysman (y2kboard@yahoo.com), October 06, 1999.

You mean planes might fall out of the sky?

-- Mara Wayne (MaraWayne@aol.com), October 06, 1999.

Not only fall....crashhhhhhh....

Owl

-- owl (w@a.com), October 06, 1999.