ATA Urges Constructive, Forward-Thinking FAA Reauthorization; House Bill Lacking

The Air Transport Association of America (ATA), the trade organization for the leading U.S. airlines issued the following statement today in response to the U.S. House of Representatives Transportation and Infrastructure Committee vote on the Federal Aviation Administration Extension Act of 2010 (H.R. 4853):

“Unlike the Senate FAA reauthorization bill, H.R. 4853 would be a step in the wrong direction,” said ATA President and CEO James C. May.

According to May, the nation needs legislation that:

• provides leadership and direction to accelerate the deployment of our nation’s NextGen air traffic management system – including creative solutions that synchronize benefits with financing options to help get the infrastructure installed
• encourages, rather than impedes, the expansion of international air service
• deals responsibly with any reasonable concerns about cross-border aircraft maintenance while taking advantage of the extensive existing oversight by our bilateral partners
• halts the excessive growth of the tax-and-fee burden by rejecting the House’s $2 billion Passenger Facility Charge (PFC) increase

May added, “We sincerely hope that the House decides to take a more constructive and forward-thinking approach to FAA reauthorization as this legislation moves forward.”

Annually, commercial aviation helps drive more than $1 trillion in U.S. economic activity and nearly 11 million U.S. jobs. On a daily basis, U.S. airlines operate nearly 26,000 flights in 80 countries, using more than 6,000 aircraft to carry an average of two million passengers and 50,000 tons of cargo. ATA airline members and their affiliates transport more than 90 percent of all U.S. airline passenger and cargo traffic. For additional industry information, visit www.airlines.org.