Airlines for America Calls for “Transformational Changes” to Air Traffic Control

Airline trade group claims air traffic control could be much more efficient through separation from the federal government.

Industry trade group Airlines for America (A4A) is calling for a new direction in American air traffic control, which would remove operations from the Federal Aviation Administration and into an independent organization. The plans were outlined during the group’s quarterly media briefing, projecting the increased travel demand during the holiday season.

The organization cited an “overwhelming” number of federal reports and commissions investigating the current air traffic control operations in the United States. According to A4A, the current setup has prevented the FAA from implementing next-generation technology which would streamline and improve the current system.

“That’s why we’re recommending that ATC be taken out of the federal government and not privatized,” Sharon Pinkerton, senior vice president of legislative and regulatory policy at A4A, told reporters on the call. “But by creating an independent, non-profit entity that’s accountable to all stakeholders and still regulated for safety by the federal government.”

In addition, the group called for funding reform to improve air traffic control infrastructure. Instead of being dependent on passenger taxes, the group recommends passing the costs on to stakeholders who actively use the systems, including the airlines.

“We believe we can improve safety and get next-gen faster if we make transformational changes to the current governance and funding system,” Pinkerton said. “This would get the system out of that annual appropriations process that causes so much instability.”

The call for air traffic control reform comes at as the entire industry is under scrutiny. A report uncovered by the AP in August 2015 showed that 20 percent of air traffic controllers committed “significant errors” in the survey year, with one in three saying they suffer from “high” or “extreme” fatigue. In addition, a Los Angeles Times report suggests a shortage of employees has forced controllers at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to work increasing amounts of overtime, leading to chronic fatigue.

The suggestion of Airlines for America echoes a similar idea introduced by Rep. Bill Schuster earlier this year. While no bill has yet to be produced, Air Transport World reports A4A chief executive Nicholas Calio has called on Schuster to unveil his plan.

[Photo: Getty]