Summer forecast: Frustrated fliers

0 Comments | USA TODAY, April, 2008 | by Marilyn Adams

The Department of Transportation's chief watchdog reported Wednesday that flight delays this summer could be as bad as or worse than last summer's at major airports in metro New York, Chicago and Minneapolis.

In a report to the House Aviation Subcommittee, DOT Inspector General Calvin Scovel said heavy airline flight schedules have the potential to make this a rough summer for travelers at New York's LaGuardia and Kennedy airports, Newark Liberty, Chicago O'Hare and Minneapolis-St. Paul airport.

"The bad news is it's not going to get better soon," said Rep. John Mica, R-Fla. "If anybody thinks we're going to get resolution of flight delays, they are smoking the funny weed."

Scovel's ominous prediction came in spite of the fact that the Federal...