Feds: US Airways Caused Christmas Delays, Comair Cleared
A report by the United States Department of Transportation found that the hundreds of thousands of airline passengers whose travel was disrupted during the Christmas holidays were partially the result of poor weather and partially due to poor customer service.
In a prepared statement, Secretary of Transportation Norman Y. Mineta exonerated Comair, saying, "The report makes clear that Comair’s troubles were caused by an ice storm that was greater than anticipated and limitations in its crew scheduling computer that it was unaware existed".
The Secretary had caustic comments for US Airways, however. In the same statement, Secretary Mineta said, "By contrast, US Airways’ troubles were the result of staffing shortfalls at its Philadelphia hub. The Inspector General found that while these shortfalls were anticipated by US Airways’ management, their plans to address them did not succeed. I am troubled that the report also indicates that US Airways lacked certain data concerning the disruptions, such as the number of lost baggage or whether persons with disabilities and unaccompanied minors were properly accommodated."
US Airways seemed to take the chiding in stride, releasing a statement that read in part, "We have worked very hard since that time to improve our staffing situation and implement other changes that will enhance our operations, including a major February schedule change that is having a clear and beneficial impact....[W]e trust that DOT officials recognize both our regret over the situation as well as the many initiatives we have taken to improve service to our customers
Subscribe in a reader
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home