The Newark Liberty International Airport the air traffic control tower in Newark, N.J. A government watchdog says there are too few fully qualified controllers at more than a dozen air traffic facilities stretching from Atlanta to Anchorage. (Associated Press file)
The Newark Liberty International Airport the air traffic control tower in Newark, N.J. A government watchdog says there are too few fully qualified controllers at more than a dozen air traffic facilities stretching from Atlanta to Anchorage. (Associated Press file)
Re: “The remedy for aviation delays?,” March 13 editorial.
According to your editorial, “the House Transportation Committee recently approved a bill to create a federally chartered, not-for-profit entity to manage air traffic and separate these duties from the Federal Aviation Administration.”
Air traffic control is an inherent monopoly. There is no competition, and turning effective control over to the airlines will allow them to shape air travel that best suits their bottom line. The only cost savings will be to the airlines. They have already abandoned over 100 airports in the last decade, and that trend will continue with overcrowded airplanes and bumped passengers who do not get priority on the next available flight. These are the same passengers who paid $53 billion to build the air traffic system and will continue to pay for its modernization without a seat at the table.
Call it what you want, but this not-for-profit, as proposed, has no oversight. The only other U.S. example, the post office, has at least that going for it.
Robert Olislagers, Aurora
The writer is CEO of Centennial Airport.
This letter was published in the March 27 edition.