Panel tackles airline industry's thorny problems

[December 15, 2010]  WASHINGTON (AP) -- A federal aviation panel is preparing to offer recommendations on how to fix some of the thorniest problems confronting the airline industry.

Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood appointed the committee a year ago to come up with recommendations for restoring health to the airline industry, which at that time was losing billions of dollars and shedding jobs. It wraps up its last meeting Wednesday.

The panel is made up of airline, airport and labor union officials, among others. It has been working on a range of issues, including how to pay for equipment that will be necessary when the government moves to a new, GPS-based air traffic control system and whether subsidies for air service to small communities are wasteful.

[Associated Press; By JOAN LOWY]

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