Ding…you are NOT free to move around the country.

With US economic conditions bordering on the cliff overlooking the recession valley, finding means of escape is becoming more of a challenge. No longer are vacations a safe haven away from everyday worries and concerns. In fact, if you can reach your destination you have done more than the individual next to you.

With a summer full of travel agendas ahead and spring breakers tans fading a little bit more with every day back, how do consumers proactively manage their travel plans? For most individuals, the process is a 3 part play:

Act 1: Pick a location
Act 2: Check the bank account
Act 3: Put in your vacation Request

But, in the wake of over 3,000 delays last week alone, consumers need to add one more act to the travel play:

Act 4: Pray to the Travel Gods

On April 2 the FAA officially released its first Airworthiness Directives (AD’s) of the new year. AD’s outline FAA safety initiative’s that hold the airway masters accountable to industry safety standards. These initiatives are the brain child of the FAA stemming back to the 1940’s. Though a complete inconvenience to travelers lately, the newest round AD’s can proudly boast of a 99% industry compliance level across all carriers.

But, even though AD’s have a long line of industry influence the ability for major carriers to execute these yearly updates seems to get worse. When an AD is released, a timeline is established. These Directives can have compliance timeframes from immediate action to years depending on the severity of the safety issue. Though proactively knowing what issues will be listed by the FAA is not the airline industry’s strength, learning how to manage updates should be.

Obviously, safety is an expectation of airline passengers; but so is timing. Most travel plans rely upon it. It is why we choose the departure and arrival times that best fit our needs. It is the starting block. Hotels, Cruises, and even the family reunion caravan needs some form of an ETA. So, when the airlines are forced to comply with AD’s, they should also be forced to accommodate the customer. Unfortunately, this not always the case.

According to the Department of Transportation's Aviation Consumer Protection Division the only time airlines are legally responsible to provide compensation is when a passenger is bumped from an overbooked flight. I would contend that AD’s that ground a flight constitute being bumped. If the airline is not able to execute a reasonable tiered plan to fix the airplanes in their fleet, the end result being that the plane is not able to maintain its scheduled flight, then the passenger is bumped. This would not fit into the DOT’s current rule that the bump was the result of an overbooked flight. But, if the airline is unable to reasonably restructure its scheduled flights to maintain its compliance with AD’s, then alternative options need to be given to consumers. The legal binding of responsibility needs to be more consumer driven.

In a year that has seen the economy continue to falter, food prices on the rise, and gasoline prices dissolving what is left of middle class disposable income all we ask for is our escape route to be protected. Vacations traditionally allow for detachment and rejuvenation. On average, productivity increases upon the return of an employee. Therefore, a message to the Federal government and the airline companies: KEEP THE AIRWAYS OPEN. If you need to update, then plan accordingly. If you ruin the travel plans for your consumers, refund them or give them vouchers. Consumer spending confidence is at a 7 year lull, and flirting with economic confidence levels that were shaky during the Bush (41) presidency. If current trends in the aviation sector continue, the last thing middle class Americans will do with their economic stimulus rebate is buy a plane ticket.