Airlines Revved Over Obama's Infrastructure Plan

NEW YORK -- When President-elect Barack Obama takes the oath on Tuesday, airlines and their labor groups hope it will mark a new era for an industry troubled with flight delays and worker unrest.

Over the past several years, attempts to push more labor-friendly agendas within the National Mediation Board and upgrade the country's 1950s-era traffic-management system have been sandbagged by politics and poor leadership, according to industry observers. That could change with Obama, who rode worker support into the White House and plans to boost employment through rebuilding the nation's aging infrastructure.

Airlines and passengers alike are eager to see a reduction in the number of flight delays, which hit a record in 2007 as passenger and private jet traffic soared. Demand has recently declined because of the recession, but the Federal Aviation Administration still expects air traffic for passenger and freight to double by 2025.

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