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Amy in the News

Klobuchar bill aims to make flying more efficient

(KARE 11)

February 5, 2011

 BLOOMINGTON, Minn. -- If you've ever sat on the tarmac while your plane is delayed, you know how quickly things can become uncomfortable.

A Minnesota senator has made it her mission to ease the pain.

Remember that flight from that made an emergency landing in Rochester from Houston, then sat on the tarmac for six hours while all the passengers were stuck?

Link Christen was one of the passengers. It may have happened in August 2009, but it's fresh on his mind.

"The bathroom had broken. I was next to the bathroom, that was an extremely uncomfortable, nasty experience for everybody on the plane," Christen said.

It's also on the mind of Senator Amy Klobuchar.

At a news conference Friday, the senator tried to gain momentum for her air safety bill to pass the senate. The bill failed to pass at the end of last year's session, and it's one of the first bills that's been introduced this year.

It requires airlines to provide passengers with food, water and adequate restrooms during a tarmac delay. It also sets a limit of three hours for how long a plane can sit on the ground with passengers aboard, which is now a rule for most airlines. But the bill would make it law.

The legislation also includes a number of provisions to make flying more efficient and safer by upgrading the nation's air traffic control system. It would convert today's antiquated ground base system to one that uses GPS.

"It provides both pilots and controllers with virtual maps, up-to-date weather reports and real time information that will help them navigate the aircraft more safely and efficiently," Klobuchar said.

The bill arguably started with quite and inconvenience in Rochester, but if a little bit of good comes from it, at least one passenger sees a payoff.

"I think this is a significant piece of legislation for future travelers, and to play even a small part in that, it's gratifying," Christen said.