Audits

This report includes the IG's testimony and recommendations from an August 2 hearing of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation and Related Agencies regarding flight delays and cancellations. We found significant progress has been made with regard to our prior recommendation that the Department establish a uniform system for tracking the causes of flight delays and cancellations. Ten major air carriers have voluntarily agreed to submit data on the causes of flight delays to DOT by September 15, 2001. We recommended that FAA: (1) complete the installation and testing of needed navigational aid equipment for Detroit Metro Airport's new runway by December 2001; (2) complete development of metrics for assessing the impacts and benefits of choke point initiatives by September 30, 2001 and develop metrics for assessing capacity benefits from initiatives identified in the Operational Evolution Plan; (3) establish procedures for keeping capacity benchmarks for the major airports current; (4) monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of its six initiatives designed to streamline the environmental impact statement process, (5) finalize FAA Order 1050.1E, Environmental Impact: Polices and Procedures; and (6) strengthen the Guide to the Best Practices for Environmental Impact Statement Management.