Terminal Chaos

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In total passenger miles, air travel has never been more popular. But as any frequent flyer knows, air travel problems are growing even faster—long lines, lost luggage, overbooking, flight delays, and serious safety issues. And instead of doing something about it, the traveling public seems simply to be sitting down, buckling in, and allowing itself to be treated like sheep.

But it doesn't have to be this way. There are solutions to our air travel problems, real solutions that can make real differences. And they don't require 15 years to implement.

With decades of experience in civil aviation and policy, Drs. George Donohue and Russell Shaver are well qualified to assess the problems in the system and to offer responsible, workable solutions. Dr. Donohue, the current Director of the Center for Air Transportation Systems Research and a Professor of Systems Engineering at George Mason University (GMU), has extensive high-level experience at the Federal Aviation Administration and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). Dr. Shaver, formerly a senior RAND Corporation research analyst and now a visiting research fellow at GMU, served as chief scientist for policy analysis at the MITRE Center for Advanced Aviation System Development.

The stories they tell are compelling. They are high-profile horror stories—passengers stranded for hours on the tarmac, flights cancelled for "bad weather" when there's not a drop of rain anywhere near the flight path, and an overall sense of apathy and obstructionism among those responsible for managing the industry. Interestingly, these problems are not the inevitable result of the size or complexity of the U.S. system. Air transportation in Europe, with almost identical air traffic control systems and safety standards, is far better. Amsterdam moves 30% more passengers than Newark, but the average flight delay is an order of magnitude lower. In addition, a European Passenger's Bill of Rights—giving distressed passengers the right to substantial and immediate compensation—has been a powerful incentive for non-U.S. airlines to maintain their schedules.

The Causes

So just how did we get where we are in the U.S. system today? Donohue and Shaver cite multiple reasons for the chaos we now face. These causes include airline deregulation, multiple governmental agencies with no central oversight or responsibility, multiple corporate entities with conflicting agendas, and a technologically outdated air traffic control system. Even more importantly, there seems to be a complete absence of advocacy for the customer—the passengers. The authors also explain that our air travel problems, if left unaddressed, are on a direct course to greatly impact the overall U.S. economy and harm our global competitiveness. In 2006 alone, delays and cancellations cost U.S. travelers an estimated $3.2 billion. And in 2004 and 2005, the U.S. tourism industry is estimated to have lost $98 billion in revenue due to our air travel mess.

The Cures

Fortunately, Donohue and Shaver don't leave us in this state of chaos. Their provocative analysis not only identifies the causes and extent of the problems, but also provides us with a course heading that will put us on the path to recovery. The solutions they propose include holding the government decision-makers responsible, expanding the capacity of airports and airplanes, modernizing the air traffic control system, and implementing what the authors call the "30% solution" to significantly reduce congestion.

In short, this book should be read by every airline passenger traveling in or through the United States. As a country, we simply can't afford to let the chaos continue.

In total passenger miles, air travel has never been more popular. But as any frequent flyer knows, air travel problems are growing even faster-long lines, lost luggage, overbooking, flight delays, and serious safety issues. And instead of doing something about it, the traveling public seems simply to be sitting down, buckling in, and allowing itself to be treated like sheep.

Written with the airline passenger in mind, the authors-expert analysts George L. Donohue and Russell D. Shaver III-arm the flying public with the truth about flight delays. Their provocative analysis not only identifies the causes and extent of the problems, but also provides solutions that will put us on the path to recovery-real solutions that can make real differences. And they don't require 15 years to implement!

Dr. George L. Donohue is currently a Professor of Systems Engineering and Operations Research and Director of the Center for Air Transportation Systems Research at George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia. He is also a Co-director of the Federal Aviation Administration's National Center of Excellence for Aviation Operations Research. Donohue was formerly the Associate Administrator for Research and Acquisitions at the Federal Aviation Administration (1994-98) and has broad experience in managing major research and technology programs in both the public and private sector. Before joining the FAA, Donohue served as Vice President of the RAND Corporation, in Santa Monica, California, and was previously Director of the Office of Aerospace and Strategic Technology at the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. He has also held technical and technical management positions at Dynamics Technology, Inc., the U.S. Navy, and NASA. Dr. Donohue has received numerous awards, such as the Secretary of Defense Meritorious Civilian Service Medal in 1977 and the Air Traffic Control Association Clifford Burton Memorial Award in 1998. He has published over 60 reports and articles and is the principal editor of Air Transportation Systems Engineering, the only reference book on the subject. He has been listed in Who's Who in America since 1992, was named one of Federal Computer Week's top 100 Executives in 1997 and was also named one of the top 100 decision makers in Washington D.C. by the National Journal in 1997. Donohue was chosen to head the United States Delegation to the International Civil Aviation Organization Conference on Air Traffic Management Modernization in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in 1998. He was also a Director of RTCA, Inc. and was nominated by President Clinton to become the FAA Deputy Administrator after demonstrating substantial success in replacing the old FAA technology acquisition process and in pioneering personnel reforms at the FAA. He replaced 30 year-old-air traffic control computers and radar systems and initiated the new aircraft surveillance system pilot program in Alaska. This Alaska demonstration program, now called the Capstone Program, has achieved significant success in demonstrating how the new ADS-B technology can be used to safely separate aircraft with a much lower air traffic controller workload. He was awarded the Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Pinnacle Award for Outstanding Individual Contribution to the art and science of air traffic control for this achievement in 2007. He is a Fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics and holds PhD and MS degrees in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering from Oklahoma State University and a BSME degree from the University of Houston. Dr. Donohue is also a pilot, with a single-engine private pilot's certificate.

Dr. Russell Shaver is currently a visiting research fellow in the Center for Air Transportation Systems Research at George Mason University. He was formerly a senior research analyst at the RAND Corp. For over 35 years, he held numerous analysis and management positions at RAND. From 1994 to 2000 he was the chief scientist for policy analysis at the MITRE Center for Advanced Aviation System Development (CAASD) in McLean Virginia. He holds a BS degree in Mechanical Engineering from Yale University and a Ph.D. in Applied Mechanics from the University of California at Berkeley.

Mr. Eric Edwards has approximately 20 years of experience working as a technical writer and editor in the U.S. Defense industry in northeastern Maryland. He currently is the Technical Publications Team Leader at the SURVICE Engineering Company, and he does freelance work through Deer Creek Documentation. From 1989 to 2000, Mr. Edwards served as a senior technical publications editor at the U.S. Army Research Laboratory at Aberdeen Proving Ground. He is a member of the Board of Editors in the Life Sciences and a Senior Member of the Society for Technical Communication. He holds a B.A. in print journalism from Bob Jones University and an M.S. in professional writing from Towson University.