STORY:
Who's Flying, Who Won't On New Year's Eve

Round up of airlines that have announced plans for New Year's Eve flights

As more partygoers lay out travel plans to their favorite New Year's Eve event, airline executives are responding by saying whether their companies will take to the air or not. Experts believe air traffic control systems outside of the major industrial countries could suffer Y2K computer bug related failures, which makes airlines flying in troubled areas vulnerable.

The major US airlines say they are 95 percent Y2K complaint and expect 100 percent compliance by September. British Airways says it will operate without interruptions. Boeing and Airbus have completed test flights simulating the rollover from December 31, 1999 to January 1, 2000 without incident.

Japan's top three airlines, All Nippon Airways, Japan Airlines and Japan Air System say most of their computer date crisis repairs have been completed. According to news accounts, three minor Y2K-related glitches were discovered in three different types of planes used by the Japanese carriers, including seat-back telephones that would not accept credit cards with a 2000 expiration date.

On the other hand, several airlines say they will be grounding their planes for reasons that go beyond the Y2K computer issue. The Polish national airline LOT, Vietnam Airlines and British regional carrier Jersey European Airways have cited Y2K computer bug concerns as reasons for grounding their planes New Year's Eve.

Virgin Atlantic won't be flying because the company's maverick CEO Richard Branson is giving his employees the day off. Branson says potential computer bug issues had nothing to do with the grounding of his planes.

Qantas Airlines will be flying but its executives won't. The company's president James Strong and his executives will be on the ground, in a board room, preparing to deal with problems should they arise.

In a move that is the exact opposite, the Chinese government has ordered executives of its national airline, China Airlines to be on planes at the stroke of midnight as a show of confidence.

The head of the FAA Jane Garvey is planning on being in a plane on a midnight flight from Washington DC to Dallas on New Year's Eve.

Source: Various News Sources

DATE: 07/21/99

For more E2000 stories, click here:
news | events | Y2K | today's news

Marketplace
Books
Collectibles
Celebration Supplies
General Merchandise
Travel Packages