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Y2K fears ground Mormon missionaries, high school bands

6.56 a.m. ET (1208 GMT) December 3, 1999

SALT LAKE CITY (AP)  The Mormon church has grounded its 60,000 missionaries the week surrounding New Year's Eve because of possible Y2K computer glitches involving airlines.

The order also affects church leaders and employees, including professors at Brigham Young University, from midnight Dec. 30 through midnight Jan. 5, church spokesman Dale Bills said Wednesday.

"People are waiting to see what happens and that the world is still going,'' said John Rasmussen, chief financial officer for Murdock Travel, which handles the church's travel arrangements.

The church isn't the only group canceling New Year's trips.

At least three high school bands will miss planned appearances in the Fiesta Bowl parade Dec. 31 in Phoenix because of Y2K concerns, Fiesta Bowl spokeswoman Jennifer Ziegler said Thursday.

Some band members' parents feared the students could be stranded or worse when computer clocks switch to 2000. The fear is that computers will mistake the last two digits to mean 1900 and malfunction.

The three bands  from California, New York and Missouri  will be replaced by Phoenix-area bands, Ms. Ziegler said.

The Federal Aviation Administration said last month there are no Y2K problems that should keep any of the major U.S. airlines from complying with safety standards on Jan. 1, though there have been concerns about some international travel.

United, Delta, American and other carriers have said they are cutting back their schedules, primarily because there is no demand.

Northwest Airlines said it has canceled 10 international and about 400 of its domestic flights for Dec. 31-Jan. 1 because of lower demand. spokeswoman Kathy Peach said.

Southwest Airlines has canceled all flights for 10 hours beginning at 10 p.m. Dec. 31, a move company officials said was a way for its employees to celebrate with their families.

-- Uncle Bob (UNCLB0B@Tminus28&counting.down), December 03, 1999