For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
September 27, 2007

President Bush Meets with Secretary of Transportation Mary Peters and Federal Aviation Administration Acting Administrator Bobby Sturgell
Oval Office

Play Video   Presidential Remarks   Audio

      Fact Sheet: New Steps to Address Airport Passenger Delays

2:20 P.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT: Today I'm joined by Secretary of Transportation Mary Peters, and the Acting Administrator of the FAA, Bobby Sturgell. I want to thank you all for coming.

We've been having a discussion about the fact that a lot of our air travelers are not only inconvenienced, they're -- in some cases they're just not being treated fairly. And there's a lot of anger amongst our citizens about the fact that, you know, they're just not being treated right.

And the Secretary and I have been talking about what to do about it, and I've instructed her to report back to me as quickly as possible on two matters: One, to make sure that consumers are treated fairly and complaints are listened to, and that we address some of the egregious behavior that our consumers have been subjected to. Endless hours sitting in a airplane on a runway, and there's no communication between the pilot and the airport is just not right. And so Mary is going to work very hard to make sure the system is much more responsive.

The other issue, of course, is dealing with congestion. One of the reasons why consumers on airlines, airline passengers are being so inconvenienced is because the skies are too crowded. And there's some short-term things we're going to do, and Mary is going to report back to me about what those will be.

Also Congress needs to look at this FAA reauthorization -- I call it "modernization" -- and work with this department, and work with Bobby bringing our FAA into the 21st century, so that our consumers and passengers and citizens won't be inconvenienced with it.

We've got a problem, we understand there's a problem, and we're going to address the problem. Madam Secretary, I appreciate your willingness to do so.

SECRETARY PETERS: Thank you, Mr. President.

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you.

END 2:21 P.M. EDT

Printer-Friendly Version   Email this page to a friend

• Afghanistan
• Africa
• Budget Management
• Defense
• Economy
• Education
• Energy
• Environment
• Global Diplomacy
• Health Care
• Homeland Security
• Immigration
• International Trade
• Iraq
• Judicial Nominations
• Middle East
• National Security
• Veterans

more issues

News

• Current News
• Press Briefings
• Proclamations
• Executive Orders
• Radio
• Setting the Record Straight

more news

July 2007   |   July 2007   |   June 2007   |   May 2007   |   April 2007   |   March 2007   |   February 2007

News by Date

•   |   February 2007
•   |   January 2007
•   |   December 2006
•   |   November 2006
•   |   October 2006
•   |   September 2006
•   |   August 2006
•   |   July 2006
•   |   June 2006
•   |   May 2006
•   |   April 2006
•   |   March 2006
•   |   February 2006
•   |   January 2006
•   |   December 2005
•   |   November 2005
•   |   October 2005
•   |   September 2005
•   |   August 2005
•   |   July 2005
•   |   June 2005
•   |   May 2005
•   |   April 2005
•   |   March 2005
•   |   February 2005
•   |   January 2005
•   |   December 2004
•   |   November 2004
•   |   October 2004
•   |   September 2004
•   |   August 2004
•   |   July 2004
•   |   June 2004
•   |   May 2004
•   |   April 2004
•   |   March 2004
•   |   February 2004
•   |   January 2004
•   |   December 2003
•   |   November 2003
•   |   October 2003
•   |   September 2003
•   |   August 2003
•   |   July 2003
•   |   June 2003
•   |   May 2003
•   |   April 2003
•   |   March 2003
•   |   February 2003
•   |   January 2003
•   |   December 2002
•   |   November 2002
•   |   October 2002
•   |   September 2002
•   |   August 2002
•   |   July 2002
•   |   June 2002
•   |   May 2002
•   |   April 2002
•   |   March 2002
•   |   February 2002
•   |   January 2002
•   |   December 2001
•   |   November 2001
•   |   October 2001
•   |   September 2001
•   |   August 2001
•   |   July 2001
•   |   June 2001
•   |   May 2001
•   |   April 2001
•   |   March 2001
•   |   February 2001
•   |   January 2001

Appointments

• Nominations

Federal Facts

•   |   Federal Statistics

West Wing

•   |   History