The International Air Transport Association (IATA) is "not anticipating any major" disruption over the new year period, following advances in preparations for the changeover to 2000, despite what appears to still be a patchy picture.
More than 500 out of 800 airports audited by IATA have completed preparations for Y2K compliance, including all the world's major airports, says an IATA spokesman. David Gamper at Airports Council International, seconds the upbeat message, saying progress towards compliance and contingency planning is "going very well", including work between airports and main utility suppliers. All FAA airports in the USA became Y2Kcompliant in November.
The Y2Kco-ordinator for the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), Denis Chagnon, says that the "level of comfort has gone up considerably - nobody is expecting too many disruptions". By mid-November, 161 of the 185 ICAO member states, representing 99.5% of global air traffic, had responded to ICAO's own status questionnaire, says Chagnon.
According to the ICAO status report published on 30 October, only 63% of the 1,303 international airports in member states had provided information to the organisation and "are making progress" towards Y2K readiness. This does, however, include all of the 25 largest airports in the world which account for more than four fifths of all international traffic. Air traffic control appears to be making better progress, with 82% of ICAO member governments reporting that their air traffic system providers are either already compliant, or "are expected to be ready before the Y2K changeover".
As for airlines, only 64% of the 1,156 of the carriers questioned - but again all of the world's largest 50 carrier, accounting for 85% of traffic - "are making progress towards Y2Kreadiness".
ICAO is now finalising its global co-ordinating unit, which will be based at Montreal and operate over the rollover period. The organisation is also helping to set up Regional Co-ordinating Units.
Source: Airline Business
