Stormy Weather

U.S. airlines are required to install new navigation systems that will allow them to land safely in low lying clouds and fog by 2025.

The new system uses GPS and other electronic goodness to accurately chart the fastest route, saving fuel and time. The system exists today.

The airlines are dragging their heels because it costs money in equipment and training for the pilots. Some airlines are seeing the advantages in upgrading before the others, though.

Alaska Airlines is the first to fully implement the system. The system will be operational by the end of 2008 in all of its planes.

Chintzy Southwest Airlines plans to spend $125m over the next six years to install the equipment. Some planes will have the system operational by the end of 2008. Couldn't they implement it fully this year based on the money they saved by not inspecting their planes?

Virgin America JetBlue and United Airlines have also expressed interest in installing the equipment before 2025.

You'd think that the U.S. government could justify tax credits or something to implement the systems sooner based on improving congestion at busy airports. San Francisco should work with the FAA to force the airlines to implement the system long before 2025 for SFO.

We aren't called Fog City for nothing. Fog too often cuts SFO's normal 60 flights per hour to 30, especially during the touristy summer months. The more time a tourist circles SFO waiting to land, the less time they have to buy souvenirs at Chinatown or Fisherman's Wharf.

Naw, that would take money away from important customer hassling activities. We can't do something to improve customer satisfaction. It's not part of the airline business model.