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(c) Elliott Publishing.

Y2OK? No Way
Err Travel · June 1, 1999

At best, air travel will be difficult at the turn of the century. At worst, it will be dangerous.

Chances are -- and no one really knows what those chances are -- that electronic systems that support the air travel industry and related businesses will get screwed up on January 1st. This includes a wide range of electronic and computer services. Everything is suspect -- from sophisticated automated baggage handling systems and electronic security scanners to Plain-Jane radios used by gate agents.

More importantly, there is a chance -- and again, no one really knows for sure how great of a chance -- that critical transportation safety systems will fail.

Even if there are no failures, preventive planning by transportation agencies is sure to disrupt many passengers' plans. The International Civil Aviation Organization, for instance, has decided to increase the margins of safety for flights over the northern and central Pacific Ocean as well as over Oceania and Russia. Airway corridors in the sky will be reduced from four to two and same-corridor flights will be separated by 15- rather than 10-minute intervals. Passengers who will be flying the heavily-traveled northern Pacific routes will see flights limited to one-third their normal capacity the night of December 31. This has got to cause significant delays of flights, if not cancellations.

On the other hand, this situation may be the best thing to happen to criminals since the invention of the Automated Teller Machine. All of this predicted chaos must have professional criminals salivating. What better places to ply their trade than at airports -- especially international terminals -- during the first week of January, 2000?

Confused, tired, and angry travelers should be in abundance. And as a special bonus, many will be hung over. For a few hours, if not for a few weeks, it will be like "double coupon days" at international airports. The pickin's should be easy.

Dr. Terry Riley is a psychologist and travel security authority. Visit his site at http://www.appliedpsychology.com or e-mail him at riley@appliedpsychology.com.