Why does this not surprise me...

http://biz.yahoo.com/rf/991115/bhn.html

-- Linkmeister (link@librarian.edu), November 16, 1999

Answers

[Fair Use: For Educational/Research Purposes Only]

Monday November 15, 7:47 pm Eastern Time

U.S. Y2K czar says may delay Y2K flight

By Jim Wolf

WASHINGTON, Nov 15 (Reuters) - President Bill Clinton's top adviser on Y2K said on Monday he may postpone by one day a planned high- profile New Year's Eve shuttle flight because of what he called reduced flight availability.

John Koskinen, head of the President's Council on Year 2000 Conversion, said he was now considering flying from Washington to New York and back on New Year's Day ``to demonstrate my confidence in the system.''

``One way or another I will be on an airplane,'' he told reporters as he presented a $50 million operations center designed to track Year 2000 problems in computers and the systems they control.

Koskinen, a presidential assistant who is to be the primary briefer at the so-called Y2K Information Coordination Center, said he might pass on New Year's Eve travel because airlines are ``consolidating'' schedules in light of reduced demand.

Washington and New York are linked by two airlines that normally run hourly shuttles -- Delta and USAirways.

On Aug. 6, Koskinen told a news conference that he planned to be aloft at 7 p.m. EST, or midnight ``Universal Time,'' the standard used around the world by air traffic controllers.

``I would be out in the 6:30 (p.m.) shuttle from New York, and I will be in the middle of the air when the millennium comes,'' he said at that time.

Jack Gribben, a spokesman for Koskinen, said he understood that the shuttles had scaled back New Year's Eve flight availability to about half of their normal schedule, a change that could not be immediately confirmed by an independent travel agent.

The last shuttle flight back to Washington on New Year's Eve -- on US Airways -- leaves New York at 9 p.m., Gribben said. ``The issue for us is what works to fly him out and get him back,'' he said.

``The 6:30, 7 o'clock nightly news shows are going to want him'' for interviews and Koskinen also will be in demand at the government's Y2K watch post, Gribben added.

The head of the Federal Aviation Administration, Jane Garvey, still plans to fly from Washington to San Francisco via Dallas on New Year's eve, a spokesman said.

She will be in flight at midnight Universal time to show that ``the aviation system is ready for the new year,'' said David Smallen, a Transportation Department spokesman.

Separately, Sen. Chris Dodd called on the nation's major airlines Monday to share information on the Y2K readiness status of their international airline partners.

Dodd, a Connecticut Democrat who is vice chairman of the Senate Special Committee on the Year 2000 Techonology Problem, noted the Federal Aviation Administration lacked jurisdiction to inspect international carriers overseas.

In a letter to the heads of the biggest U.S. passenger airlines, he asked what steps they had taken to determine ``code share readiness'' -- the ticketing arrangement under which airlines may book passengers on their partners' aircraft.

``We just can't 'wing it' when it comes to passenger safety,'' Dodd said in a statement.

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-- Linkmeister (link@librarian.edu), November 16, 1999.

ROTFLMAO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (ahem...) Well, couldn't Kosky hitch a ride on Air Force One? Hmmmmm?

-- I'm Here, I'm There (I'm Everywhere@so.beware), November 16, 1999.

He's going to wait until the pilot tries the plane out after the rollover before he gets on. What a chicken sh*t!

Gee, that is a heck of way `to demonstrate my confidence in the system.'' !!

-- Hawk (flyin@high.again), November 16, 1999.

Let me get this straight, one of the presidents bigshots can't get a ride where and when he want's it???????????????????? What? I suggest that old Zipperman give him a ride on the big BLUE Bird. That way they can BOTH reassure the world things are ok. We all know they "worked as hard as they could on this thing" don't we?

-- FLAME AWAY (BLehman202@aol.com), November 16, 1999.

great idea on the Air Force One. maybe that is another reason by B & H are hosting a big party so they won't have to make that offer?

-- tt (cuddluppy@yahoo.com), November 16, 1999.

Watch what they do, not what they say. LOL

-- John (jh@NotReal.ca), November 16, 1999.

From: Y2K, ` la Carte by Dancr (pic), near Monterey, California

...morphing...

-- Dancr (addy.available@my.webpage), November 16, 1999.

Is CPR's flight still on?? I heard if its cancelled he is going to be celebrating the new year by standing in front of a nuclear power plant in texas. LOL

-- y2k dave (xsdaa111@hotmail.com), November 16, 1999.

If the flight controls go out, the term 'rollover' might have an additional meaning!

Kook

-- Y2Kook (Y2Kook@usa.net), November 16, 1999.

Hey, Kosky. One word. Travelocity. Here are five flights for you. So, I guess the flight is back on?

I didn't think so. ------------------------------------------ US Airways Shuttle flight 6374 on a Airbus Industrie Jet From: Washington DC Reagan (DCA) Friday, Dec. 31 7:00pm To: New York LaGuardia (LGA) 8:05pm

US Airways Shuttle flight 6379 on a Airbus Industrie Jet From: New York LaGuardia (LGA) Friday, Dec. 31 9:00pm To: Washington DC Reagan (DCA) 9:59pm

--------------------------------------------------

American Airlines flight 5133 on a Saab 340 Turboprop From: Washington DC Reagan (DCA) Friday, Dec. 31 4:45pm To: New York Kennedy (JFK) 6:10pm

American Airlines flight 5157 on a Saab 340 Turboprop From: New York Kennedy (JFK) Friday, Dec. 31 7:20pm To: Washington DC Reagan (DCA) 8:59pm ---------------------------------------------------------

Delta Air Lines flight 646 on a Boeing 727-200 From: Washington DC Reagan (DCA) Friday, Dec. 31 4:55pm To: New York Kennedy (JFK) 6:17pm

Delta Air Lines flight 6221 on a Jetstream 41 Turbo From: New York Kennedy (JFK) Friday, Dec. 31 6:40pm To: Washington DC Reagan (DCA) 8:20pm ----------------------------------------------- TWA Trans World Air flight 3946 on a Jetstream 41 Turbo From: Washington DC Reagan (DCA) Friday, Dec. 31 2:25pm To: New York Kennedy (JFK) 3:40pm TWA Trans World Air flight 3935 on a Jetstream 41 Turbo From: New York Kennedy (JFK) Friday, Dec. 31 6:40pm To: Washington DC Reagan (DCA) 8:20pm ------------------------------------------------- Delta Air Lines flight 1764 on a Boeing 727-200 From: Washington DC Reagan (DCA) Friday, Dec. 31 6:30pm To: New York LaGuardia (LGA) 7:33pm Delta Air Lines flight 1769 on a Boeing 727-200 From: New York LaGuardia (LGA) Friday, Dec. 31 8:30pm To: Washington DC Reagan (DCA) 9:41pm

-- Pete (pberry1_98@yahoo.com), November 16, 1999.

I believe we could gather enough contributions to charter a commercial airlines over New Years eve for ALL of our favorite SPINNERS and TROLLS.

Ko-Skin-Em and company could fly First Class!!

Ray

-- Ray (ray@totacc.com), November 16, 1999.

IMHO, Koskinen and Garvey (FAA) should BOTH be "escorted" onto a plane at 11:30 p.m. at GUNPOINT, and sent on their way. The PILOT should have a parachute, however....

Bastards.

-- Dennis (djolson@cherco.net), November 16, 1999.

Oh Brother.

Koskinen's such a weasel!

Lawyers.

*Groan*

Diane

-- Diane J. Squire (sacredspaces@yahoo.com), November 16, 1999.

FIRST - hasn't the airline reservation system been y2k-compliant for months? am I supposed to take heart that the head of the nation's remediation efforts is a world-class procrastinator??

SECOND - as a taxpayer, why was I asked to spend $40 million on a crisis center if the head of the center sees no reason to be there at the most critical point of the rollover?

preparing minds want to know...

-- Brooks (brooksbie@hotmail.com), November 16, 1999.

Brooks;

Uh, now it's $50 mil...

http://biz.yahoo.com/rf/991115/bgj.html

-- I'm Here, I'm There (I'm Everywhere@so.beware), November 16, 1999.

Let's look at the logic here for just one moment. He can't buy a ticket because there are to many people NOT buying tickets. "Right." - Bill Cosby

I have a better idea actually. Let him take off from Hawaii for LA or NYC about an hour before UTC midnight and have all the top reporters on the plane interview while in the air. 2 birds, one stone.

-- Ken Seger (kenseger@earthlink.net), November 16, 1999.

KoSkinEm must be FORCED to board a damn plane and fly all night. Moron.

-- make him live his words (and@die.bythem), November 16, 1999.

Hey Link...........Great find!

-- kevin (innxxs@yahoo.com), November 16, 1999.

IHIT,

Do you suppose that all of the systems aboard AF1 are compliant?

-- nothere nothere (notherethere@hotmail.com), November 16, 1999.

Instead of flying, I say we make him walk the plank!

-- Debi (LongTimeLurker@shy.com), November 16, 1999.

To every season, Spin Spin Spin

There is a reason, Spin Spin Spin

And to every life, Spin Spin Spin

There is a purpose, Spin Spin Spin

-- Helium (Heliumavid@yahoo.com), November 16, 1999.

nothere nothere,

If there's any plane on earth that has no doubt been tweaked and twiddled-with to be as compliant (read: safe) as possible, I'm sure it'd be AF1. Taking off and flying right-side-up -- I wouldn't think -- would be any problem.

OTOH, NAVIGATING and LANDING could conceivably cause a problem or two if TS-(more or less)-HTF. To help in that area, I'm sure Jane Garvey could be "persuaded" to fly with Kosky. Get cpr on there, too. Make it a party.

One of the asian countries -- I can't remember whether it was China or Japan or whoever -- came up with an elegant solution: The government decreed that the CEOs of their airlines WOULD be flying during rollover.

-- I'm Here, I'm There (I'm Everywhere@so.beware), November 16, 1999.

Maybe he should go up on the 6:30 shuttle, and come back via metroliner.. Sounds good to me? Anyone else????

-- Duke 1983 (Duke1983@AOL.com), November 16, 1999.

Duke,

No way. Mr Bump-in-the-road has to be in the air at midnight. If need be, forced into a plane by all the pollies he has just let down. They are the ones who care. The preparers don't. They have never taken him seriously anyway.

-- JLD (cogito_ergo_sum@usa.net), November 16, 1999.

Let's have a fund raiser to charter him a plane! We can even get a camera installed so that he can do those really vitally important confidence boosting interviews in a meaningful way.

What was THAT all about? "Well, Bob, I have every confidence in our nation's Air Traffic Control, and if you hadn't asked me down here to say that, I'd be up there right now. Really. For sure." What? WHAT?

-- Colin MacDonald (roborogerborg@yahoo.com), November 16, 1999.

"KoSkinEm must be FORCED to board a damn plane and fly all night."

Damn straight!

And we should put the names of all the airlines in a hat, INCLUDING the 200 NON-COMPLIANT ones, and pick one AT RANDOM that he will have to fly!

-- Hawk (flyin@high.again), November 16, 1999.

i say all public pollies fly. involuntarily. hey, has anyone noticed kosky's eyes--there is no one home there. i think he is possessed. :-)

-- tt (cuddluppy@yahoo.com), November 16, 1999.

Anty up a few more coins for Jane Garvey for that flight.

But... did you notice the wording?

"On Aug. 6, Koskinen told a news conference that he planned to be aloft..."

Maybe he was thinking hot air balloon.

Or "in" a "loft"?

Hasn't this administration and Y2K improved all of our spin analysis skills? Now THAT's a legacy.

-- Linda (lwmb@psln.com), November 16, 1999.

Well shit. This sucks. How we gonna get Hoff to South America?

-- a (a@a.a), November 16, 1999.

I simply can not beleive this.

-- Linda A. (adahi@muhlon.com), November 16, 1999.

Now lets see...(mumble mumble) I have to buy more beans and rice, contribute to Kosky's airplane ticket and also to Hoff's ticket to South America. Now, how do I divide this up when I have just so much money? Well.....I think Kosky's ticket is the biggest bang for the buck. I will give the most for him. After all, if we get rid of him our post y2k survival is bound to be better! (mumble mumble) But damn! Its hard to give up that image of him swinging from a rope!! Maybe we could tie a rope around his neck and push him out of the plane and fulfill everyone's needs?????

Taz

-- Taz (Taz@aol.com), November 17, 1999.

Link to thread about Jane Garvey having the same trouble.. poor baby:

Jane Garvey's Flight Cancelled... Taking Bets on Her Plans to be Airborne

-- Linda (lwmb@psln.com), November 17, 1999.

JLD,

What I was thinking is that Kosky could be in the air @ 12:00 GMT, which is what all the ATC systems use, then take the train back, and brave the rollover on the rails. Not a bad idea, I thought.

-- Duke 1983 (Duke1983@aol.com), November 17, 1999.

I posted this on another thread, but got no response. What do y'all think?

The airlines are not canceling due to lack of interest. They are canceling because they aren't sure about safety around the rollover!

Nearly empty planes are constantly in the air, especially late at night, but they fly even with low load factors because equipment and crew need to be in place for the high volume early morning flights.

Cancelling flights, the way they are will cause havoc in the logistics of having equipment and crew in the right place at the right time.

Cancelling early, I guess they have the time to figure out what they will do.

Good reporters would be digging deep right now to ask questions about typical load factors on New Year's, as well as other late night flights. My guess is that they aren't so different this year. The airlines just don't want to have to explain away an accident.

By the way, I don't personally believe the airliners will be a problem, but rather ATC. I don't want to be in an airplane that's low on fuel waiting to be cleared for landing by a controller working manually. Jeesh....There's a scary thought!

And even a .05% chance of embeddeds on the plane causing a problem is too much for me!

It wouldn't surprise me actually, if the FAA is secretly recommending cancelation of flights. After all, didn't Jane Garvey testify that a test of all systems would occur at the rollover? She said there wasn't too much traffic in the air at that time anyway.

What a joke, she wasn't even aware that the systems all work on GMT until one of the congressmen brought it up. Alot more traffic in the air at 6 eastern, 3 western, Jane!!!!

-- Duke1983 (Duke1983@aol.com), November 17, 1999.

their insurance companies won't let them fly anyway

-- no fall (no@in.sky), November 17, 1999.

Have all the various airports actually installed the remediated ATC systems? Last I heard, that was "in progress", but not complete.

I ask because I've told most folks to ask their suppliers one simple question: "Is the computer system you are using now (mid-November) the exact same system you will be using during the Century Date Change?" Not "being tested", not "being fixed", not "scheduled to be installed"; the EXACT same, locked-down, bolted-in system you will be using from now through New Years' Eve and beyond.

-- Mac (sneak@lurk.hid), November 17, 1999.