[Carol Lin, Cnn Anchor:] Well, the government is also about to tell us what airline passengers already know: that the service is less than perfect, even after the nation's carriers promised to upgrade service. A report comes from the Transportation Department's inspector general in less than four hours. And we are joined by a travel expert, Terry Trippler, in Minneapolis. Terry, I wonder if you've been flying lately because you got a chance at least to peak at the preliminary reports. What are we likely to hear?
[Terry Trippler, Travel Expert:] I think what we're going to see is something similar to the interim report that came out in June of last year: improvement, but a long way to go. And I think that's what we're going to have happen again. We're going to see this noon.
[Lin:] Well, let's touch on at least some of the promises that the airlines said that they would try to work on. For example, when I go ahead and I book my ticket, am I guaranteed that the airline is going to quote me the cheapest fair?
[Trippler:] That's a tough one, Carol. They have promised to do that. Some of the airlines are making pretty good on that promise. Other ones aren't doing too well. Basically, where the problem lies is in these last-minute Internet fares that they have that there are some passengers claim they're not being told about. So there needs to be some improvement on that area.
[Lin:] All right. Well, what are are they going to be able to tell me or will they tell me if the flight is oversold as I book my seat?
[Trippler:] If you ask, from what I gather, they are telling you if the flight is oversold. What we find happening on this one is, once the passenger is finding the flight is oversold, they book on that flight because they want to get voluntarily bumped and get the miles and the money and the meals, etcetera. So that one sort of backfired on them.
[Lin:] All right, let's say they lose my luggage. How long is it going to take for me to get it back these days?
[Trippler:] They claim they'll do it in 24 hours. Luggage complaints are up. And, of course, we recently all have seen the film of where the luggage handlers were playing basketball with people's packages, his luggage. That did not help. Complaints are up. They're going to have to do a better job on luggage.
[Lin:] All right, well, also, I find myself more often than not sitting on a plane, getting ready to taxi the runway, and suddenly everything comes to a halt. And I'm told that it is problems with air traffic control or something that really doesn't mean much to me as a passenger. Am I going to be told, or should I be told am I being told why I'm being delayed specifically?
[Trippler:] Well, they say they are telling you. And here's where the big problem lies. And these are the complaints that I am receiving by the literally hundreds per day in e-mails. People feel they're not being told the truth. They're not being told before they board the aircraft that there's a possibility that they'll be delayed. I mean, people are boarding aircraft I did, I boarded one, went out and sat at the end of the tarmac. I was there long enough to qualify to vote in that precinct. They've got to do a better job on this. Get out of the gate. Get off the ground.
[Lin:] So if they're not quite meeting the promises that they said that they would keep to Congress, does this mean that Congress will or should go ahead with legislation to force the airlines to give better service?
[Trippler:] Well, Carol, I think that, as soon as this report is issued, that we're going to have people lined up all the way around the Capitol to file a bill for passenger-rights legislation. Already we have one or two of the 1999 bills that have been resurrected. Those were bills that were put aside when the airlines promised to do a better job. Yes, I think the airlines, unfortunately and I'm a free-enterprise person but, unfortunately, I think the airlines have forfeited their right to operate without some type of government intervention. I think it's inevitable. It's got to happen.
[Lin:] Well, and some airlines are going to say that so many factors are out of their control: like weather and now labor problems. Delta's pilots are expected to announce today what they voted on Friday: whether they're actually going to go on strike.
[Trippler:] That's right. And we're talking Northwest now, Delta. Before the year's over, we're going to be talking to American and United. And I disagree with the airlines there. I believe those are in their control. Weather, I understand. Labor: Come on, airlines, let's get it together.
[Lin:] All right, thank you very much for that preview. It really makes you want to hit the road, doesn't it? Thanks, Mr. Trippler.
[Trippler:] Thank you.