TRUMP: PRIVATIZE AIR-TRAFFIC OPS
Says move would modernize ‘antiquated, horrible’ system
President Donald Trump is pushing to shift operation of the U.S. air traffic system to a private, nonprofit corporation — a move he said would modernize outdated technology and air travel.
The plan drew immediate support from most airlines, but faces stiff opposition from private aviation groups and in Congress. Most Democrats and some powerful Republicans have resisted transferring the service outside of government to big airlines and other aviation interests.
Trump said spinning off Federal Aviation Administration control of an “antiquated, horrible” system to a self-financing, governmentsanctioned corporation wouldn’t require taxpayer funds.
The handover of some 300 airport towers and other flight-tracking centers would be one of the largest transfers of government assets. It would transfer control of about 35,000 workers and leave the FAA to focus on safety.
The idea is to remove air traffic control from vagaries of the government budget process, which has hampered the FAA’s “NextGen” program to modernize the system by switching from radar and radio communications to GPS surveillance and digital voice and text communications.
U.S. airlines have lobbied since the 1980s to privatize the air traffic system to gain more control, reduce their costs and replace passenger ticket taxes with user fees based on takeoffs, landings and other operations.
“The antiquated system we rely on today is inefficient and causes thousands of avoidable flight delays,” an American Airlines spokesman said. “If we aren’t able to modernize and innovate using the latest technology, the impacts to the traveling public will continue to grow.”
The National Air Traffic Control Association, which wasn’t at the White House event, has said the current system is unacceptable and previously supported a federally chartered, nonprofit model. It said it would review the proposed legislation to see if it protects the union’s rights and benefits.
In an attempt to gain support for the plan, which fell short in Congress last year, the White House said the corporation’s board should be insulated from industry stakeholder groups. Critics charged last year’s proposal gave too much board power to airlines.
U.S. Rep. Peter DeFazio, ranking Democrat on the House transportation committee, cited concerns the plan would increase the federal deficit and diminish safety.
“There is no consensus on this short-sighted privatization proposal,” DeFazio, of Oregon, said. “Committee Democrats are working on targeted reforms to help speed up the FAA’s modernization efforts without privatizing the system.”