This article from NYTimes.com has been sent to you by psa188@juno.com. Airline Aid Advances in House; Passage in '02 Is Called Unlikely October 3, 2002 By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS WASHINGTON, Oct. 2 (AP) - A House subcommittee approved a bill today to help economically struggling airlines, but the effort may be too late to become law this year as Congress nears the end of its session and the Senate has not yet acted on a similar bill. The panel, the House Transportation aviation subcommittee, endorsed a package of loan guarantees, antiterrorism insurance and new procedures to lighten security costs airlines say are hurting the industry. Representative James L. Oberstar, Democrat of Minnesota, said the bill could save the industry $1.5 billion by extending government-sponsored terrorism insurance, fully reimbursing the costs of bulletproof cockpit doors and reauthorizing airlines to carry certain mail. Mr. Oberstar said the amount was almost "half of what the airlines said they need to get on a stable economic footing." The airlines have told Congress they need $4 billion in help. Leaders of some of the largest carriers, in pressing for the aid, say they expect to lose $7 billion this year amid reduced passenger traffic and the new costs of security. The panel voted to extend the antiterrorism insurance policies issued by the government after the attacks of September 2001 and to limit to $100 million each airline's total liability for people injured or killed on the ground or in buildings during an act of terrorism. It also agreed to reopen a loan-guarantee program for financially troubled airlines if the United States goes to war with Iraq. Should Congress authorize force and oil prices rise by 25 percent, the subcommittee voted to give them loan guarantees and lines of credit to buy fuel. The bill is subject to approval by the full Transportation Committee and then by the House before it goes to the Senate. http://www.nytimes.com/2002/10/03/business/03AIR.html?ex=1034668342&ei=1&en=4fca851baf0a42c7 HOW TO ADVERTISE --------------------------------- For information on advertising in e-mail newsletters or other creative advertising opportunities with The New York Times on the Web, please contact onlinesales@nytimes.com or visit our online media kit at http://www.nytimes.com/adinfo For general information about NYTimes.com, write to help@nytimes.com. Copyright 2002 The New York Times Company