"If you're flying American Airlines today," the announcer on NPR said this morning, "you have a lot of time to listen to this program."

After cancelling 1,094 flights yesterday, stranding over 100,000 people, American cancelled over 900 flights today.

The reason: to conduct proper safety inspections of wiring on the wing.

The disruption is tremendous, as is the financial hit to American, which is covering the costs incurred by inconvenienced travelers.

Nothing seems to be going right for airlines today except this: We are experiencing, according to the Secretary of Transportation, "the safest five-year period in aviation history."

Something to keep in mind whille you wait for your flight.