Originally published April 29, 2008 at 12:00 AM | Page modified April 29, 2008 at 3:32 PM

Senate to debate "national embarrassment" of air-traffic woes

U.S. Senate to debate on air-traffic troubles, including proposed three-hour limit on runway delays

WASHINGTON — The Senate is taking on what Democratic Sen. Jay Rockefeller calls "a national embarrassment," an antiquated air traffic control system that is making flying more unpleasant and possibly less safe.

Legislation being debated this week in the Senate to modernize the U.S. aviation system could provide immediate relief to suffering passengers. It would set a three-hour limit on how long airliners would be allowed to sit on a runway without allowing passengers to deplane.

Rockefeller heads the Senate Commerce aviation subcommittee. He is citing predictions that none of the 1 billion people predicted to fly in 2015 will reach their destination on time if aggressive action is not taken in the meantime to upgrade air traffic control.

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