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Bush On Holiday Travel: Hoping To Avoid A 'Nightmare Before Christmas'

November 18, 2008 12:22 PM

ABC's Lisa Stark reports from Washington:

With as much fanfare as an outgoing President can muster, George Bush showed up eight minutes early to the Department Of Transportation today and before hundreds of employees announced what the government will do to make the skies smoother for the holidays.

1. Open military airspace - The Controller's union is already noting that despite the military airspace last year, there were more delays for Thanksgiving travelers in 2007 than in 2006, when there was no military airspace open on a wholesale basis.

2. More money for lost bags - This goes into effect in time for Christmas travelers. If the airlines lose your bag, the maximum penalty will increase from $3000 to $3300.

3. More money for violating consumer rights - Again in time for Christmas. If the airline doesn't fess up on hidden fees (fuel surcharges, etc) or violates consumer protection rights, consumers will be able to collect as much as $27,500 -- up from $25,000.

PASSENGER RIGHTS DURING LONG TARMAC DELAYS The Department Of Transportation today will propose a rule that would require airlines to set up airport specific plans to deal with long tarmac delays. The rule will not have a hard and fast time for when an airplane would have to return to the gate. DOT says a one size fits all rule would actually make things worse for passengers. This is a proposed rule -- it will obviously spill over into the next administration.

MODERNIZING AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL The President today signed an executive order to make modernizing air traffic control a top federal priority and putting the Secretary of Transportation in charge of making sure this gets done. This is the effort to move to satellite based navigation.

BEST JOKE Mr. Bush began by thanking all the DOT workers for their fabulous efforts. The president said " You have done a terrific job. For the past 8 years I have not seen a traffic jam, waited for a flight, or a had a lost bag."

SECOND BEST LINE "I know that a lot of folks in our country think about transportation a lot, particularly, this time of year," Bush said. "You know, one way to look at it is, they're saying, 'Will traveling home for the holidays be, "It's a Wonderful Life", or will it be "The Nightmare Before Christmas"?'"

Last Thanksgiving the government used military airspace off the East Coast. Approximately 600 planes a day took advantage of that. This year, they will reopen that East Coast space, as well as military airspace over Los Angeles, Phoenix, and over the Rockies (for East-West flights). Mr. Bush called it a move to "expand the Thanksgiving express lanes."

November 18, 2008 | Permalink | Share | User Comments (16)

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STAY ON "HOLIDAY"

and DON'T COME BACK !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Posted by: Joe6Pack | Nov 18, 2008 12:39:52 PM

Mr. Bush...."what was that? I haven't heard anything about the market having financial problems."

Posted by: Dave | Nov 18, 2008 12:48:19 PM

I'm going to miss the insights of George Bush...not.

Posted by: doug | Nov 18, 2008 1:09:31 PM

Bush IS the "Nightmare Before Christmas".

Posted by: WhyBushEver | Nov 18, 2008 1:25:56 PM

Too little, too late...

Posted by: Me Myself And I | Nov 18, 2008 1:27:10 PM

You're right, WhyBushEver:

"Bush IS the "Nightmare Before Christmas"."

As a matter of fact, Bush is the Nightmare BEFORE, DURING and AFTER Christmas...

Posted by: Bush is... | Nov 18, 2008 1:29:21 PM

Dear Santa:
I'd just like to see the TSA open up a bunch more security lines so that all of us can make our connections !!!

Posted by: Strickie | Nov 18, 2008 1:49:35 PM

the correct title is President Bush rather than Mr. Bush--even after he leaves office.

Posted by: anon | Nov 18, 2008 1:58:26 PM


Meanwhile, the administration's 11th hour assault on health, safety and environmental regulations goes largely unremarked.

Posted by: Yukon Sam | Nov 18, 2008 2:37:33 PM

If Bush thought the plan up, there's a pretty good chance it won't work......

Posted by: whybeconservative? | Nov 18, 2008 3:11:41 PM

THIS...

Is what he will look back on as his crowning achievement... "look i cleared the american sky "

Posted by: Squierghia74 | Nov 18, 2008 3:14:29 PM

Bush IS the worst President!!! In his eight years capacity, he detroys the economy, the Earth, the image of USA in the world, & worst of all, our Constitution. Cannot think of anyone who can top that!!!

Thank God, I can see light in the tunnel... I am counting days he is off from that "noble" position...

Posted by: AnybodyButBush | Nov 18, 2008 3:16:01 PM

He is so irrelevant now, yet still dangerous.

Posted by: Hege! | Nov 18, 2008 3:30:50 PM

It figures that, of all the things that need fixing, passengers can still get stuck for 14 hours on a tarmac with no food, no water, no air circulation and no flushing toilets. I realize that artificial limitations aren't always good but couldn't we say, perhaps, 10 hours is too long???????

Posted by: Sheila | Nov 18, 2008 3:41:02 PM

Now all of the sudden holiday transportation matters the most to you Sir? Is GM, Ford and Chrysler going out of business? Oh, I am sorry, you don't care right?

Posted by: Emanuel | Nov 18, 2008 4:45:40 PM

Does Bush run the auto makers industry?
Does Bush write the banking laws?
No, that was Barney Frank.
Did Bush strong-arm bankers to give housing loans to people with little or no work history/good credit history?
No, that would have been organizations like ACORN.

Lets not rewrite history.

Obama's a senator.
What DID he do other than to vote
'present' majority of time?
That way, nothing can actually be blamed on Obama by voting 'present'.
Can't do that in the White House.

Posted by: I hope Obama does well. Really. | Nov 18, 2008 6:57:55 PM

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