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☆ Biden administration proposes new rule banning airlines from charging parents extra fees to have their kids seated next to them
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-01 | by ( Pete Muntean | Samantha Waldenberg | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Airlines would no longer be allowed to charge parents extra fees for their kids to be seated next to them under a new rule proposed by the Biden administration. White House officials say their “fee-free family seating” proposal could potentially save parents up to $200 per round trip flight. Today’s ban on family seating fees could save a family of four as much as $200 per round trip. “We’ll cap service fees on tickets to concerts and sporting events and make companies disclose all fees upfront. And we’ll prohibit airlines from charging up to $50 roundtrip for families just to sit together,” Biden said in 2023.

Persons: Biden, Pete Buttigieg, Buttigieg, Lael Brainard, “, Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, Kevin McCarthy, Andrew Caballero, Reynolds, ” Biden Organizations: CNN — Airlines, White, National Economic, Chamber, U.S, Capitol, Getty, “, Frontier, JetBlue, Department of Transportation’s, Airlines, America Locations: Washington ,, AFP, Alaska, American

☆ Driver of truck involved in Florida bus crash that killed 8 farm workers arrested
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-14 | by ( Rebekah Riess | Dakin Andone | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —The driver of the pickup truck involved in a Tuesday crash that killed eight people and left more than 40 injured in north-central Florida has been arrested and charged with eight counts of DUI manslaughter, according to a news release from the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. The 2010 International Bus carrying “approximately 53 farm workers” and a 2001 Ford Ranger sideswiped each other around 6:35 a.m., about 15 miles west of Ocala, the Florida Highway Patrol said in a statement. The Ford, “for unknown reasons, traveled toward the center line” before the vehicles struck each other, Lt. Patrick Riordan of the Florida Highway Patrol said at a news conference at the scene. The bus then left the roadway, went through a fence and overturned. There’s no reason for me to be involved with these individuals.

Persons: “, Patrick Riordan, James Lucas, ” Riordan, WESH, Riordan, Billy Woods, Woods, ” Woods, Alicia Bárcena, ”, Ana Melgar Zugina, Gregory Wallace Organizations: CNN, Florida Department of Highway Safety, Motor Vehicles, Ford, Patrol, Fire Rescue, Mexico’s, Twitter, Transportation Safety Board, US Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, Sheriff’s Locations: Florida, Ocala, Marion, Marion County, Mexican, Orlando

Six people are presumed dead and two have been rescued from the Patapsco River, according to The New York Times. What Happened to Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge? Around 1:30 a.m. on Tuesday, a Singapore-flagged cargo ship called Dali struck a column of the bridge, according to reporting by The Baltimore Banner. Where Is the Francis Scott Key Bridge and How Long Is It? The Francis Scott Key Bridge was assessed as being in “fair” condition in 2023, according to the Federal Highway Administration’s National Bridge Inventory.

Persons: Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key, Wes Moore, Dali, Maryland Sen, Chris Van Hollen, Francis Scott Key, Helen Delich Bentley, Banner ”, Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott, Moore, ”, Joe Biden, We're, “, Pete Buttigieg, Scott, Buttigieg, Joseph Schofer Organizations: The New York Times, Maryland Gov, Biden Administration, White, Baltimore Sun, Baltimore Banner, ABC News, Maryland, New York Times, Times, ” Synergy Marine Group, Baltimore Mayor, Transportation, Department of, World Association, Transport Infrastructure, U.S . News, Northwestern University’s McCormick School of Engineering, ” Engineers Locations: Patapsco, Maryland’s, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Maryland, Baltimore, Helen Delich Bentley Port of Baltimore, Fort McHenry, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, U.S

☆ Why the US kept Daylight Saving Time
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-22 | by ( Katia Hetter | Stephen Mays | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

The current March to November system that the US follows began in 2007, but the concept of “saving daylight” is much older. Pro tip: It’s Daylight Saving Time, with singular use of “saving,” not “savings.”Reasons for Daylight Saving TimeDon't forget to reset your alarm clock. Jasmin Merdan/Moment RF/Getty ImagesThe US kept Daylight Saving Time permanent during most of World War II. Why do we need Daylight Saving TimeStudies over the last 25 years have shown the one-hour change disrupts body rhythms tuned to Earth’s rotation, adding fuel to the debate over whether having Daylight Saving Time in any form is a good idea. Although saving energy was often put out as a reason to have Daylight Saving Time, the energy saved isn’t much — if anything at all.

Persons: CNN — It’s, ”, Jasmin Merdan, Gallup, Richard Nixon, Florida’s Organizations: CNN, US Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics, Getty, Studies, Daylight Locations: United States, Europe, ” Hawaii, Arizona, Pacific, Caribbean

Roadway deaths in the U.S. are mounting despite government test data showing vehicles have been getting safer. Subaru, which has performed well in IIHS pedestrian crash avoidance tests, considers visibility its first line of safety, according to spokesperson Todd Hill. Thanks to vehicle improvements, seatbelt laws and other changes, fatal crashes in the U.S. trended downward for decades, hitting a low of 29,867 in 2011. Government estimates of fatal crashes in 2022 show a 43% increase to 42,795 — partially thanks to increases in speeding and drunk driving and decreases in seatbelt use. Fatal crashes also increased as a percent of total miles driven.

Persons: — Alyssa Milligan, Alyssa, ”, Jessica Cicchino, they’re, ” Cicchino, Todd Hill, Transportation’s Volpe, Billy Richling, Jessica Hart, Allie, ” Hart, “, didn’t, ” John Capp, we’re, I’ve, — Organizations: Nashville —, National Association of City Transportation, Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, Insurance Institute for Highway, Subaru, Consumer, U.S . Department, Transportation’s, Transportation’s Volpe Center, Volpe Center, Silverado, U.S, Traffic Safety Administration, NHTSA, National Association of City Transportation Officials, D.C, Ford Transit, General Motors, GM Locations: Tenn, Tennessee, Nashville, U.S, Washington

Mistakes by air traffic controllers — stretched thin by a nationwide staffing shortage — have been one major factor. So do the air traffic controllers who scour the skies and manage takeoffs and landings. The number of fully trained air traffic controllers nationwide has fallen 10 percent in the past decade. data and the agency’s most recent “Air Traffic Controller Workforce Plan.”Nearly all U.S. air traffic control facilities are understaffed Circles represent 313 air traffic facilities in the United States, including airport towers and larger regional centers. Desiree Rios for The New York TimesPilots, air traffic controllers and federal investigators have warned repeatedly that America’s air safety system is fraying.

Persons: Louis Armstrong, —, ”, Biden, Matthew Lehner, Mr, Lehner, Ilana Panich, Kennedy, Jan, “, ” Jennifer Homendy, Joe Raedle, Reagan, Desiree Rios, ’, ‘ Organizations: Southwest Airlines, Louis Armstrong New, International Airport, Delta Air, New, Airport, American Airlines, Frontier Airlines, Frontier, Federal Aviation Administration, The New York Times, United Airlines, American, Airbus, louisiana Magnolia, Times, Phoenix, NASA, Aviation, Pilots, Technology, U.S, Airlines, United, “, Bergstrom International Airport, Kennedy International, Delta, FedEx, JetBlue Airways, JetBlue, National Transportation Safety, Spirit Airlines, Fort Lauderdale, Las Vegas, San, Casper, Federal Aviation, The Times, FAA, National Transportation Safety Board, Department of, Gulfstream, Miami, The New York Times Pilots, Flying Magazine, Sky Harbor, Boeing Locations: Airport Mississippi, New Orleans, San Francisco, American, Dallas, louisiana, louisiana Magnolia Minden arkansas, Minden louisiana, United States, U.S, San Diego, Phoenix, Swiss, Continental, Buffalo, United, Delta, Southwest, —, Austin, Texas, New York, Austin , Texas, Sarasota , Fla, Burbank, Calif, Boston, New York City, Fort, Salt Lake, Ontario, Denver, Las, Portland ,, Baltimore, Miami, Peoria, Ill, Fort Worth, Jacksonville, Fla, Philadelphia, Fort Lauderdale, Lexington, Ky, Tampa

☆ Australia’s $2.5 trln pension stash is one to envy
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-26 | by ( Antony Currie | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +7 min

Sure, mining giant BHP (BHP.AX) has its headquarters in Australia’s second-most populous city, it’s a self-anointed coffee capital and boasts top-notch restaurants. Two other factors have capital-hungry institutions knocking on super funds’ doors. This is especially true of so-called industry funds that are mutually owned and initially catered to specific sectors such as higher education employees or hospitality workers. Daniel Andrews, premier of Victoria, has earmarked industry super funds as minority investors in a state-run plan to build renewable energy plants. Recent ructions in real estate have prompted some super funds to reassess whether the risk and complexity are justified.

Persons: dwarfing, AustralianSuper, California’s CalPERS, London’s, Paul Schroder, Hostplus, Anthony, Daniel Andrews, Breakingviews, outsized, Peter Thal Larsen, Thomas Shum Organizations: MELBOURNE, Reuters, Australian Stock Exchange, Association, Retirement, Canada, Plan Investment Board, Prudential Regulation Authority, APRA, Coal, IFM, Vienna Airport, KPMG, Reuters Graphics, Australian, Trust, Macquarie, Victorian State Department of, UniSuper, Sydney Airport, Victoria, Blackstone, CVC, Thomson Locations: Hong Kong, Melbourne, Australia’s, it’s, Australia, Heathrow, Edinburgh, Europe, United States, Indiana, New York, London

☆ Air traffic controllers union pushes for staffing solution after scathing DOT watchdog report
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-26 | by ( Pete Muntean | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —As millions of Americans are expected to pack commercial flights over the July 4th holiday, the union representing the Federal Aviation Administration’s air traffic controllers says a recent government watchdog report is proof the agency and Congress must fix a “flawed staffing model.”“The status quo is no longer sustainable,” said Rich Santa, head of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association. The union says that Congress must “require FAA to immediately implement” new staffing standards and “conduct maximum hiring.”“There are currently 1,200 fewer fully certified controllers today compared to ten years ago,” said Santa. “FAA’s flawed staffing model and inconsistent hiring has resulted in new hires not keeping pace with attrition over the past decade.”Previous CNN reporting found that staffing issues at one key air traffic control facility in Florida triggered thousands of delayed flights over a seven-week period last summer and revealed a complaint that workers were pressured to work overtime to provide coverage. The union of controllers says the FAA should make changes “without the need for congressional intervention and Congress should not require further study of the issue.”The FAA says it has “completed a comprehensive review of the distribution of controllers” and that it is using a new system to track ATC work assignments. The agency is calling on Congress to fund hiring 1,800 controllers next year in addition to the 1,500 the agency is funded to hire this year.

Persons: ”, Rich Santa, “ Organizations: CNN, Federal Aviation, National Air Traffic Controllers Association, FAA, Department of Transportation’s Locations: Florida

☆ Department of Transportation watchdog to investigate flight cancellations and delays
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-21 | by ( Ross Levitt | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

CNN —The Department of Transportation’s internal watchdog said Tuesday it is launching a probe into the spike in flight cancellations and delays that have come in the wake of the pandemic. The Office of the Inspector General audit will focus on the federal agency’s role in these cancellations, rather than the airlines. The IG wants to find out both the causes of the delays and cancellations as well as the accuracy of the government’s data around flight disruptions. This will be first in a series of audits to understand and evaluate flight delays and cancellations as well as DOT’s actions to address them,” the memo stated. The IG also announced a separate audit of the FAA’s planned NextGen effort to upgrade the air traffic system, a multibillion-dollar infrastructure program.

☆ Southwest Airlines is testing a software fix it developed after the Christmas travel meltdown
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-26 | by ( Gregory Wallace | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Washington CNN —Southwest Airlines said it is testing software fixes that the company developed after its Christmas travel meltdown, as the airline faces multiple federal investigations. The software fixes are an “upgrade,” rather than a replacement of the crew scheduling system, Southwest executives said on a conference call with reporters Thursday. The company decided to keep the underlying software system because it “generally worked as designed” even during the meltdown, CEO Bob Jordan said. “We haven’t even talked cost, so I don’t know if it’s going to cost us anything or not,” said Southwest Chief Operations Officer Andrew Watterson. That external report should be delivered in the coming weeks and “we will attack it with a sense of urgency,” Jordan said.

☆ U.S. lawmakers call FAA outage 'unacceptable,' demand a fix
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-14 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

REUTERS/Jim Vondruska/File PhotoWASHINGTON, Jan 13 (Reuters) - A group of more than 120 U.S. lawmakers told the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) its computer outage on Wednesday that disrupted 11,000 flights was "completely unacceptable" and demanded the agency explain how it will avoid future incidents. On Thursday, the FAA said its preliminary analysis showed the computer outage was caused by a procedural error related to a corrupted data file. The Senate committee email also said it appears the groundstop actually lasted from 7:21 a.m. Buttigieg tweeted at approximately 8:50am that the groundstop had been lifted, was the NOTAM system full operational at that point?" The Senate email asked "what additional resources does FAA need to expeditiously update the NOTAM system?"

☆ U.S. lawmakers call FAA outage 'unacceptable,' demand fix plan
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/2] Passengers exit a bus at Terminal 2 as they wait for the resumption of flights at O'Hare International Airport after the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) ordered airlines to suspend all domestic departures due to a disruption in the system, in Chicago, Illinois, U.S., January 11, 2023. REUTERS/Jim Vondruska/File PhotoWASHINGTON, Jan 13 (Reuters) - A group of more than 120 U.S. lawmakers told the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) its computer outage Wednesday that disrupted 11,000 flights is "completely unacceptable" and demanded the agency explain how it will avoid future incidents. Lawmakers want details of what went wrong with a pilot messaging database that led to the first nationwide grounding of departing flights since the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks. They want Buttigieg to provide an "estimated cost to commercial airlines and passengers due to the delays resulting from the outage." Reporting by David Shepardson; editing by Diane CraftOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

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