In 2008, let's ground delays and air rage

This is the time of year when the only thing that should be up in the air is what's for dinner.

The East Coast, the Midwest and the West Coast have all had their plates filled with Mother Nature's down-home cooking. And it hasn't been a popular entrée.

So instead of landing at some airport this week, I chose to land in my favorite chair next to a roaring fire and contemplate 2007 air travel. There have been several changes in the air that have caused a bigger roar than my fire. Some of them are a bit hard to swallow. Here's the short list:

• Runway delays. After last February's fiascoes when passengers found themselves spending more time sitting imprisoned on an airport tarmac without creature comforts (such as food, water and working lavatories) than they did actually flying to their destinations, our government stepped in and proposed plans for an Airline Passengers Bill of Rights. The bill was presented in both houses and was sent to a subcommittee on aviation last March. But it still hasn't taken off.

New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer did sign legislation that requires airlines departing from New York airports to treat passengers with respect -- whatever that means -- and provide basic creature comforts for travelers stuck on the tarmac for more than three hours.

But, according to many frequent travelers, three hours is still too long. Perhaps in 2008, airports will develop a program that allows aircraft to hold their takeoff slots without actually leaving their gates. It would save time, fuel and many frayed nerves.

• Hearing voices. Cell-phone usage at 35,000 feet was in the news all year. But, except for Dubai's Emirates Airline, it's been all talk and no action for the other carriers.

All that will probably change in 2008. Looks like passengers on RyanAir and Qantas will be talking up a storm before the snow melts. But it won't be on flights into the United States.

The FAA has still not cleared cell-phone usage on aircraft landing on our turf. Some pilots feel there's a real danger cell-phone usage will send aircraft off their course. But they have cleared the use of the Internet in the sky. JetBlue Airline already offers it on one of its aircraft.

Some critics feel the danger from cell-phone usage will affect passengers on a more personal level. One passenger said if he is forced to listen to someone chat for hours on a long flight or keep hearing "You've got mail!" from his seatmate, he might become violent and end up in a cell as opposed to using one.

• Air rage and rude behavior. All year, passengers complained about in-fight service, or rather the lack of it. Many travelers feel flight attendants treat them like cattle -- and it's not just when they're stuck on tarmacs for eight or 10 hours.

So Delta Airlines is doing something about it. Only it's not rude flight attendants they're addressing. It's rude passengers. For your listening and viewing entertainment, Delta is offering videos on its flights that teach flying etiquette to their passengers. You can also view the videos at its Web site, www.delta.com.

Looks like 2008 will be a year in which passengers can look forward to making a lot of connections at 35,000 feet. They might not be able to sink their teeth into a hot meal, but they will be able to chew the fat with their on-ground friends. And that will give all of us something to talk about.

Gail Todd, a free-lancewriter,worked as a flightattendant for more than 30years. She can be reached viae-mail at gailtodd@aol.com.