53 Nations Slow with Y2K Air Safety

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International Herald Tribune

Paris, Friday, September 10, 1999

 

Y2K AIR SAFETY QUESTION BUGS CONGRESS

LAWMAKERS WANT NAMES OF

53 NATIONS SLOW TO REPORT ON COMPLIANCE

 

 

By Brian Knowlton International Herald Tribune

 

WASHINGTON - Members of Congress, concerned about the pace of worldwide

preparations by airports, airlines and aviation authorities to deal with

the Year 2000 computer problem, demanded Thursday that the government

immediately identify 53 countries that have been slow to report

compliance efforts.

 

The move, which the Federal Aviation Administration vowed to comply

with, could affect the travel, aviation and tourism industries in many

countries. Officials said Thursday that flights should be safe on Jan.

1. But delays and disruptions in service in some countries, or

widespread attempts by travelers to reroute around potential problem

spots, could create nightmarish backups.

 

The 53 countries - predominantly in Africa, the Asia-Pacific, the

former Soviet bloc and the Caribbean and Central America - had failed to

meet a June 30 deadline set by the International Civil Aviation

Organization for its 185 member countries to respond to a survey on

readiness for dealing with the so-called Y2K computer bug.

 

As of Aug. 31, they still had not responded to the survey by the

UN-linked organization, which helps set international flight standards.

The agency, which was to have issued a report on its survey by July 31,

has delayed doing so indefinitely.

 

The release of the names could influence the planning of millions of

tourists and business people around the world for year-end trips, often

to the less-developed countries most likely to be trailing in their

compliance.

 

''Time is running out,'' said Kenneth Mead, inspector general of the

Transportation Department. ''Frankly it's uncertain what's happening in

those countries.''

 

A glitch in programming could cause some older computers - used

extensively in airplanes and airports for everything from lighting to

communications to air-traffic control - to stop or malfunction in the

first minutes of the new year.

 

Mr. Mead told lawmakers that 5 million passengers had flown between the

53 countries and the United States in 1998. He suggested that the

government give ''serious consideration to placing restraints on U.S.

carrier flights to countries that will not even respond to a

questionnaire on Y2K compliance.''

 

An interagency government group, with representatives of the Department

of Transportation, the Federal Aviation Administration, and the

departments of State and Defense, are discussing what steps should be

taken.

 

At a minimum, country-by-country consular warnings will be issued,

based on information provided to the UN-related agency. At a maximum,

U.S. flights to or from affected countries could be canceled.

 

Jane Garvey, administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration, told

the joint hearing of two House subcommittees that she would provide the

country names as soon as they could be extracted from available

documents, but it was unclear Thursday exactly when that would be done.

 

The fact that the 53 countries missed the international deadline does

not mean they will fail to make necessary computer fixes in time, Ms.

Garvey and others emphasized. Some of the 53 may since have provided the

information to the international agency, she added.

 

Members of two House subcommittees pressed her agency and other

government agencies to place maximum pressure on noncomplying countries,

whether through behind-the-scenes administrative action and offers of

technical assistance, or by embarrassing them through public exposure.

 

They also said the Ms. Garvey's agency should be prepared to cancel

flights from the United States to countries that either had failed to

certify their Y2K compliance or had been found to be dangerously

deficient in their preparations.

 

Ms. Garvey said U.S. authorities had that right, and would use it if

necessary. ''That is certainly an option if safety is at risk,'' she

said.

 

American international carriers fly to more than 90 countries and 200

foreign airports, and more than 125 foreign carriers use airspace under

Federal Aviation Administration jurisdiction.

 

Mr. Mead indicated that 18 of the countries that had failed to respond

to the international survey were in Asia; 12 were in South America; 10

were in Africa; 8 were in Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union;

four were in the Middle East and one was in Europe.

 

Joel Willemssen, head of civil agencies information systems for the

General Accounting Office, said that information on 146 international

airlines showed that 33 percent had declared their computer systems

ready for the year 2000, 35 percent planned to be ready by Sept. 30, and

32 percent planned to be ready later in the year, or did not provide

information.

 

The United States and Canada and most West European countries have

achieved suitable states of Y2K readiness, according to a number of

surveys. Japan, after coming to the matter belatedly, is now recognized

to have caught up.

 

Though her agency had been criticized earlier for trailing in its own

Y2K efforts, Ms. Garvey said that its computer systems - more than 130

are involved - were Y2K-ready as of June 30.

 

Airlines are expected to begin a major public relations effort to deal

with passengers' Y2K-related fears.