Travel agents and the leisure travel industry will face critical airline and aviation issues in 2008, from passenger rights legislation to airline consolidation and security, Kevin Mitchell, chairman of the Business Travel Coalition, told Travel Agent. Mitchell, who just completed a report to the General Accounting Office (GAO) on airline consolidation, urges trade associations, consortia and individual leisure agencies to get actively involved. "Grassroots industry-wide support will be essential to avoid a meltdown of the airline industry," he said, "and to maintain minimal levels of service to the traveling public." (GD)