"Letter: Chokepoints at the Airports"

Sunday, August 19, 2007

Letter to the Editor
Chokepoints at the Airports
The Washington (DC) Post


The Transportation Department's statistics for June paint a gloomy picture
for airline passengers ["Flight Delays in June Were Among Worst on Record,
Government Says," Business, Aug. 7]. According to the agency, the first half
of this year has been the worst for passengers since it started keeping
track 13 years ago. The problem will only worsen as the number of passengers
grows. The Federal Aviation Administration has estimated that by 2015,
airlines will carry a whopping 1 billion passengers a year.

Congress is considering a way to solve this problem through a modest hike in
the passenger facility charge, which is collected from travelers. The
revenue from this charge, by law, goes directly into projects that improve
airport efficiency and promote competition. It is one fee for which the
benefits for travelers are clear.
 
Increasing the fee would give the airports the funding and flexibility they
need to extend and build runways and expand terminals. When Congress returns
from its August recess, lawmakers must act quickly to ensure this funding is
made available to airports. Without it, airports will become the chokepoints
of our air transportation system.

GREG PRINCIPATO
President
Airports Council International -- North America
Washington

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