European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - January 8, 1988, Darmstadt, Hesse 1987 a turbulent year for airlines by h. Josef Mebert associated Pressa Merica s airlines with a Little nudging from the Federal government have apologized to Iho travelling Public Tor service olten less than satisfactory Over the past year and promised to mend ils ways. Nearly a decade after Congress ordered tie government id lilt its Light controls Over the Al Lina Industry the effects at deregulation Scro left during the past year As Nevei before. A number of airlines found that Gigantic mergers can bring As much turbulence and danger As any Tunde Islora we grew so tool a made or Slacks admitted Continental airlines in an advertisement late in 1987. Conli Enlal airlines and Northwest airlines found themselves month alter month at or near the lop of the complain a list in much of 1987 a Piedici Ament spokesmen from Bolh carriers attributed to problems related to recent mergers. 1987 also was the year that Congress prepared for Likely approval in the coming months of a comprehensive consumer Piole Elion Bill for air travellers. The transportation Depar Lenl. Reacting to mounting complaints about delays also ordered airlines to provide monthly on time statistics and Lor Fps first Lime include on time information on specific flights in the computerized reservation systems used by liar cd agents. The major airlines agreed to juggle thousands of flights to help ease delays and make schedules More realistic to actual performance. By year s end the number of complaints to the transportation department was declining in 1987, Iho word mag Carrier drilled Inlo general use As a frenzy of mergers Over a two year period consolidated Iho Industry Inlo seven airlines thai controlled 86 percent of the Market White the Industry in general is expected to report operating profits of about $2.5 billion two companies Texas air corp., which owns Eastern and Continental and pan american world airways Are Likely to show substantial losses according la Industry analysis foam Vilc some Ivi Alion safely advocates began wondering whether the Dia Lalic economic changes that swept the Industry might Altuch safely. Two airline crashes in which Pilot performance May have played a major part caught the headlines the Federal aviation administration stepped up surveillance of Eastern airlines because of bitter labor disputes and the number of near collision reports soared with a 50 percent increase of fhe end of nine months. Last year 227 people were lulled in three crashes involving major . Airlines to 1987. It was the highest number of fatalities in five years according to the National transportation safety Board. An additional 37 people were killed in accidents on scheduled commuter flights. On aug. 16 a Northwest airlines jetliner crashed seconds alter Tilting Olf from the Detroit Airport killing 1 �6 people. Three months Laler a airlines dc-9 crashed while taxing of nov. 15 from the Denver Airport killing 28 of the 62 people aboard. Pilot mistake a o been cited As Likely culprits in Bolh accidents As investigators determined Hal the Crew failed to extend the plane s flaps in the Detroit Accident and that the pilots May not have adequately de iced their plane in the Denver crash. On dec. 7 a Pacific soul Wesl airlines Jet crashed killing All 43 people aboard. After one of fhe passengers smuggled a gun on Board and opened fire during the flight possibly shooing the pilots the crash prompted new concerns about Security at major airports As congressional investigators also revealed Security shortcomings with passenger and airline employee screening programs. While a Gallup poll showed that 64 percent of the people queried Tell that air travel was less Sale in 1907 than before deregulation a record number of people nevertheless flew during the year. According to the air transport association the airlines carried about 450 million passengers nearly 40 million More than last year. It is anticipated thai 1986 will be another said William Bolger the Ata s president in a year end review. Perhaps nowhere was the debate about airline service and safety louder in 1987 than on Capitol Hill. A free Market does not give airlines fhe right to run roughshod Over heir passengers declared rep. Norman Mineta. Chairman of the House aviation subcommittee of we try to fix every we thing Well lose our compete the during debate on a consumer Bill to help air travellers sen. Howard Metzenbaum declared air passengers need All the help they can gel Thesa Days. Long delays cancellations missed connections and Losi baggage Rule the More than Ever before there was talk of bringing government regulation at least partially Back to the airline Industry. Concerned about aviation safety prompted Senate majority Leader Robert Byrd a the Faa cannot handle our deregulated skies safely i would support deregulation of the airline bid earlier had been the driving Force behind creation of a presidential commission to look into what changes should be made Al the Federal aviation administration to belter ensure safety. The commission began hearings in 1987 and plans a report this Spring. Tie airlines meanwhile stepped up their argument that Many of the problems in Bolh service and safety stemmed irom the government not keeping Pace with Industry needs. They said More controllers were required and More Money should to made available Lor Airport expansion. Both subjects Are Likely to revived in the year ahead. Western Kentucky gets top rating As retirement spot associated pressm mention Kentucky to americans and Many think of Blu grass Bourbon and Daniol Boone not to Mtnlion he Derby and Abraham Lincoln s Birthplace. Bui to Richard Boyer and David Savageau the state oilers the Best place in the United Stales logo for retirement living. The no. 1 ranking goes Spucci locally to the Murray Kentucky Lake Region of Western Kentucky according to the co authors of hand Mcnally s retirement places rated. There Are places with a Bailer climate and places with a lower Cost of living Many Wilh More things Lodo if any of i Hose things Are overriding considerations in an individual s choosing where to Retiro. Savageau notes. But on balance Murray Kentucky Lake has More to offer in general he says. It s also a prime vacation Boyer and Savageau profiled 131 popular relic cent destinations considering pros and cons for housing Money mailers climate Leisure living personal safety and services. Florida had the most relic men places Wilh 15, foliated by California Wilh 10 Texas nine Arizona sin and Michigan five. But Many popular destination in the Sun Belt Woie Given Tow rankings because of High Cost High crime rates and even ii male unsuitable to Tho specific physiological needs of seniors the worst Region chosen by Many retirees according to the authors is 1he Morl East. Which encompasses nine of the 10 Bottom ranked retire men living places named in the Book. Twelve Stales have no established or recommended retirement places listed Alaska Kansas Illinois. Louisiana Minnesota Nebraska North Dakota Ohio Rhode Island South Dakota. West Virginia and Wyoming. the retire mint places rated. There is an absence of Large cities with Only 26 having populations greater than 300.000. Of these Only Charleston s.c., and san Antonio Texas Are ranked among the lop 20. Some 2-5 million people Are expected to retire in fhe United slates this year and by 1990 the number of older adults who move irom one stale to another May approach 400,000 a year says Savageau. In choosing their retirement destination he believes. Too Many people think of climate first particularly northerners. They look at places like Miami fort Lauderdale and say i can t afford that so i la stay where i am " with this in mind. The authors provide inh mation on part Lime Job availability which along with other Money and housing Inlo Malion May help in finding an affordable area to live. We not Only want to help people make better says Savageau. We also want to make it Clear that some people who May not think they have an attractive Choice really Pago 1 3 the stars and stripes Friday january s. 1988
