Yearly Archives: 2013

US Government Set Record for Fines in 2012

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  While 2012 may have been the safest year in decades, the Department of Transportation levied a record number of fines against airlines for consumer rules violations, assessed 49 fines and $3,610,000 in penalties, up from 47/$3,264,000 in 2011, and 27/1,700,000 in 2010.   The airlines are not doing business in a significantly different manner,…

Flying was Safer in 2012

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Air fatalities worldwide are down to 23 fatal crashes in 2012, down from 28 last year, down from an average of the last decade of 34 fatal crashes per year. Those 23 crashes generated 470 fatalities, down from an average of 770 people over the last decade. The U.S. hasn’t had a fatal accident of…

Times Contributor Blames the FAA for Making Devices Dangerous

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We respect Nick Bilton and his writing. We even bought and read his book. His writing on the issues of the ban on portable electronics on airplanes have always made sense to us…till now. We believe his frustration, frustration we share, by the way, at the Federal Aviation Authority is warranted. But the tone seems…

US Ordering Additional Inspections of Boeing 737s

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The Federal Aviation Administration said it would seek more detailed inspections for cracks on the tops of Boeing 737-300, 400, and 500 series aircraft. This is a direct result of a hole that tore open in a Southwest Airlines jet back in 2009. They will be expanding rules to include new inspection methods with scanning…