ATA leads industry efforts to fashion crucial aviation policy and supports measures to ensure aviation safety, security and well-being. Key current ATA initiatives include:
Safety First
Safety is the airlines’ top priority, as U.S. airlines maintain a safety record that is second to none. All ATA member airlines have rigorous, comprehensive safety programs, including extensive crew training/qualifications programs, safety-management systems, aircraft maintenance/inspection regimes, safety audits, fatigue management, quality-assurance programs, voluntary flight-data reporting programs and other initiatives. ATA and its members also participate in numerous industry/government safety forums and activities that address current and emerging safety issues.
ATA fully supports a “safety first” environment and is committed to even further improvements to the industry’s remarkable safety record. The airlines support new requirements that demonstrably enhance safety, using the best scientific guidance, data and operational experience. We urge the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to follow these fundamental tenets in all of its regulatory activities. Significant Safety Initiatives
Energy Commodities Reform: Huge Step Forward, More Work to be Done
Congratulations to American families, businesses and U.S. competitiveness! On July 21, 2010, President Obama signed the Restoring American Financial Stability Act of 2010 – a huge step forward in bringing stability to the financial markets. For years, volatile oil and gasoline prices, driven in part by unchecked and excessive speculation, have taken a heavy toll on the economy. Airlines as well have suffered from roller coaster, irrational jet fuel prices that made long-term planning impossible. This Act will close the loopholes that gutted meaningful government oversight and enable the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) to enact strong reforms to open up the markets, require reasonable business practices and better regulate financial interests. ATA is particularly thankful to the administration, Sen. Blanche Lincoln and Rep. Colin Peterson for their tenacity and leadership in the face of aggressive, well-funded opposition.
With the CFTC already proposing strong reforms, ATA, its member airlines and a 300,000-person-strong grassroots coalition will continue fighting for transparent and fair markets. Strong, focused CFTC action is critical to ensure meaningful reforms are put in place. ATA will remain fully engaged in the CFTC regulatory process to support the implementation and enforcement of appropriate regulations, a key airline priority. Join the S.O.S.Now Campaign and help the country take another huge step forward.
Support International Framework for Continuing Emissions Reductions
U.S. airlines have a remarkable environmental record. On the emissions side, airlines’ fleet modernization and operational measures have saved over 2.9 billion metric tons of CO2 since the late 1970s. Airlines are committed to a framework and targets that will yield more reductions: saving 1.1 billion metric tons of CO2 between 2010 and 2030 – the equivalent to taking 10 million cars off the road each of those years – followed by even steeper reductions through 2050. Aviation is international, so our emissions must be covered by a global framework under the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), the United Nations body charged with developing aviation/aircraft standards. A punitive U.S. fuel tax, such as the framework contained in the draft “American Power Act,” introduced by Sens. Kerry and Lieberman, would cost the airlines $5 billion a year (on top of the $17 billion in taxes paid today), preventing them from doing the very things needed – investing in new airplanes and new green technologies – to further reduce aviation emissions.
ATA supports a global approach for reducing aviation emissions under ICAO and opposes a punitive fuel tax. ATA also supports accelerated air traffic control (ATC) modernization; enhanced research and development of green technologies/procedures; and deployment of environmentally friendly alternative fuels. ATA Environmental Record, Commitment and Global Approach
NowGen – Accelerate ATC Modernization NOW
America must modernize its outdated, inefficient ATC system now. Modernization will create jobs and result in safety, environmental, operational and customer-service improvements. Using modern technologies as the ATC infrastructure moves from the ground to the air, planes will be able to safely fly in more direct routes, reducing fuel burn/emissions, flight time and congestion. In addition, U.S. competitiveness rests on our ability to continue to operate the safest, most efficient air transportation system in the world. Government leadership and full buy-in from all stakeholders – combined with the necessary aircraft equipment, infrastructure and procedures – is crucial. For ATC modernization facts, see:
ATA Testimony before House of Representatives
ATA Letter to House T&I Leadership
ATA supports accelerating ATC modernization to achieve the many resulting benefits in a few years, rather than waiting another decade. NextGen equipment mandates, such as the recent FAA rule requiring all planes to be equipped with Automatic Dependent Surveillance Broadcast-Out capabilities by 2020 must be based on a solid business case in which the true benefits and real costs are fully understood.
Reduce Unfair, Increasing Tax Burden
Airlines and their passengers/shippers pay approximately $20 billion annually in taxes and airport fees. A full 20 percent, or $61 of a $300 ticket fare goes to the U.S. government and airports. Having lost $60 billion since 2001 and with airfares at 1998 levels, ever increasing taxes and fees are taking a severe toll on the airlines’ balance sheets. Rather than looking to airlines and their passengers/shippers to fund programs that are clearly government functions, the government should rationalize aviation taxes and provide an efficient ATC system and strong aviation security system as keys to our nation’s overall security, economy and international competitiveness. Airports too should look for efficiencies and adjust their spending to today’s economy.
ATA supports fair taxes and opposes an increase in the 9/11 security fee that, as proposed, would cost an additional $7 billion by 2015 ($1.7 billion annually), and opposes an increase in airport PFCs that could add $2 billion annually to current PFC collections. Airline Taxes
