WATCH: How Are Airlines Fighting Back Against Bird Strikes?

Rich Thomaselli
by Rich Thomaselli
Last updated: 12:20 PM ET, Wed July 22, 2015

Photo via YouTube

The Federal Aviation Administration, concerned over the increasing population of Canadian geese, pelicans and other species of birds, is asking for input as to whether airplanes should be built stronger in the future to withstand the collisions.

The FAA is taking public opinion, as well as those from airlines and airplane manufacturers, until Nov. 17.

"The bird-strike threat has increased, especially the threat due to larger birds," the agency said in a filing posted Monday in the U.S. Federal Register, according to Bloomberg News.

According to an FAA report, about 300 bird/plane strikes occur each year, most of them damaging to the aircraft - nearly half a million dollars in one instance for a Boeing 737 taking off from St. Louis in 2013 - and some that have caused casualties.

Since 1990, birds have destroyed 37 aircraft, most at airports serving private planes, the report said.

TravelPulse founder Mark Murphy appeared on CBS News Live this morning to discuss the FAA's response to the bird strikes:

In addition to discussing potential protections against bird strikes, Murphy also shared insight on a recent travel scam highlighted by the FTC on the dangers of fake hotel booking sites. "It's one of the reasons why you're seeing more and more consumers, particularly for higher-ticket purchases, returning to traditional travel agents," he said.


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Rich Thomaselli

Rich Thomaselli

Associate Writer

Editor Associate Writer true 9281 14744 Rich Thomaselli has written for TravelPulse since 2014 and has been a professional journalist for nearly 40 years. His work has appeared in USA Today, the New York Times and New York Yankees publications. He is an 11-time writ

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