"Democrats resist Bush small-airport plan"

Wednesday, September 17, 2003

Democrats resist Bush small-airport plan
By Tom Ramstack
THE WASHINGTON (DC) TIMES


Senate Democrats yesterday proposed an alternative to a Bush administration
plan to privatize air-traffic control at an additional 69 regional airports.


They want to keep Federal Aviation Administration air-traffic controllers on
the government payroll instead of turning their jobs over to private
companies. 

Included on the list of control towers that would be privatized are airports
in Manassas and Newport News in Virginia.
 
"You do not fool with the air-transportation system," said Sen. John D.
Rockefeller IV, West Virginia Democrat. 

The bill he introduced yesterday would extend the FAA's funding for
air-traffic controllers by six months until Congress can work out new
legislation that would stop the further privatization of airport towers. A
vote in Congress is expected within days. 

President Bush has said he would veto a four-year, $60 billion fiscal 2004
FAA funding proposal if it does not allow privatization. Fiscal 2004 begins
Oct. 1. 

A Sept. 4 Transportation Department inspector general's report says
privatization would save an average of $900,000 annually at each regional
airport where air-traffic control is turned over to corporations. 

The inspector general's report also said safety was not likely to decline
with proper FAA certification and oversight.
 
Of the nation's 484 public airports, 219 have "contract towers," including
five in Maryland and Virginia. 

Unionized air-traffic controllers say companies would cut jobs to save money
but compromise safety. 

"It's really about safety," said Marilyn Martin, an air-traffic controller
at Manassas Regional Airport. 

The airport uses 11 air-traffic controllers who handle about 500 flights per
day among small private airplanes, medevac helicopters, military turboprops
and corporate jets. 

"If it's privatized, it could go as low as seven, if not lower than that,"
Mrs. Martin said about the control tower's staffing level. 

Newport News-Williamsburg International Airport handles a mix of aircraft
similar to Manassas Regional Airport. 

Private air-traffic control in the United States is dominated by three
companies: Serco Group, Midwest Air Traffic Control Service and Robinson-Van
Vuren Associates. 

"The 20-plus year history of the FAA contract-tower program by all measures
points to an extremely safe and efficient air-traffic-control program," said
Spencer Dickerson, spokesman for the American Association of Airport
Executives, an airport trade group that includes private air-traffic-control
companies. 

The dispute began in 1981, when President Reagan fired more than 11,000
controllers, saying they violated a national security provision in their
contract by striking. The FAA contracted many of their jobs at small
airports to private companies. 

Unionized air-traffic controllers say the inspector general incorrectly
found no increased safety problems at privatized airport towers. 

Private control towers rely on self-reports of safety problems, which might
be underreported to protect the corporate owners, the union says. 


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