Incoming Delta CEO: ‘We Chart Our Own Path Forward’
Joe Cortez April 22, 2016
Citing on-time performance, Delta defends argument for air traffic control solution.
The future chief executive of Delta Air Lines is defending the company’s plan for overhauling air traffic control infrastructure, despite accusations of benefiting their needs first and foremost. In an editorial published by Delta, incoming CEO Ed Bastian explained why their NextGen-focused approach works, instead of the previously proposed privatization.
Noting an on-time performance of 85.9 percent in 2015, Bastian claims their solution is built around the airline’s strengths, including manpower, technology and operational efficiencies. As a result, Bastian claims the legacy competition can perform just as well within current ATC systems.
“Our operational performance within the Federal Aviation Administration-controlled air space so many claim is broken was at the top of the industry in 2015,” Bastian wrote in his editorial. “This didn’t come about magically. It is the result of years of work and investment.”
Bastian once again rallied against the proposal of breaking away ATC operations from the Federal Aviation Administration into a semi-private corporation, claiming the privatization plan “isn’t the answer.” Instead, he highlighted the positives of the FAA NextGen program, anchored by current Delta chief executive and NextGen Advisory Committee chair Richard Anderson. Under the NextGen program, Bastian claims all American airlines have benefited from reduced tarmac time and more efficient flights.
“Keeping this program on track should be our industry’s collective focus,” Bastian wrote. “Not risking the integrity of the most complex airspace in the world with a privatization experiment that is long on promises but woefully short on details.”
The editorial comes as fellow competitors and airline trade groups rally for the privatization of ATC operations in the United States. At a conference, American Airlines chief executive Doug Parker accused Delta of having “a different agenda,” calling their plan “relatively more harmful to us than to them.” However, Bastian remains focused on pushing a NextGen-focused plan for the future of American aviation.
“Real collaboration is the key to ensure that we continue on the path of improving our airspace,” Bastian wrote. “Ensuring that it remains the safest, best-managed in the world.”
[Photo: Junji Kurokawa / Associated Press]
NavCanada is not a good example -- they run as a non profit but give massive bonuses away and high salaries. Our Fees are through the roof for Canada Airspace and then on the General Aviation Front we are light years behind the US in making the required information available online since that would cut into the Revenues of Nav Canada. You can't log a flight plan online!!! You have to call in to a phone number or use the FIS Station over Radio??? Charts and plates have to be bought as does the CFS which expire every 56 days!! Unless you pay ForeFlight a much larger fee than in the US since they pay NavCanada per Subscriber for this. The US system is better than in Canada by keeping it in the Government Control while pushing to improve efficiencies. FLTPLAN.COM and the iPad/Android Apps FLTPLAN GO are perfect examples of FREE products that supply all of this information and ability to log flight plans online. Nav Canada has zero plan to implement this kind of ability.
Goodness - the cartels are at war with each other
Why not do both? Corporatize ATC as has already been done successfully in so many countries around the world (it's not by any means an experiment!) and also implement NextGen as rapidly as feasible.