DODD THREATENS TO GROUND AIR CARRIERS WHO REFUSE TO DISCLOSE Y2K PLANS
FAA LACKS INFORMATION FROM MORE THAN HALF OF ALL CARRIERS
Washington, D.C. C Senator Christopher J. Dodd, D-Conn., Vice-Chairman of the Special Committee on the Year 2000 (Y2K) Technology Problem, today announced he would offer legislation to ground air carriers who have not responded to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) appeals for information on the carriers' Y2K status.
It's simple. If you don't comply, you don't fly,as Dodd said. We can't just wing it when it comes to passenger safety.
In a hearing before the Y2K Committee today, Senator Dodd announced that 1,900 of the nation,s 3,300 air carriers had not yet responded to the FAA's Y2K survey. All of those who failed to respond are smaller carriers.
Dodd said he would give the carriers in question until the morning of Tuesday, October 5 to respond to the FAA survey. At that time, Dodd will name the non-respondent carriers in the Congressional Record and introduce his bill directing the FAA to ground the carriers.
Some air carriers would have us flying blind, Dodd added. With only 92 days to go before New Years, it's time for some action and accountability. To that end, Dodd asked that the FAA to require remaining survey respondents to have their response signed by the carrier's chief executive officer.
The Y2K technology problem prevents computers from correctly reading the year 2000 and has the potential to cause wide ranging system failures.
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