STATEMENT
WASHINGTON, April 2, 2007 – The Air Transport Association (ATA), the trade association for the leading U.S. airlines, today issued the following statement regarding the Wichita State 2007 Airline Quality Rating study:
“The 2007 Airline Quality Rating study once again focuses on the symptoms rather than the root causes of passenger and airline frustrations,” said ATA President and CEO James C. May. “The vast majority of customer service issues arise from weather and congestion flight delays that lead to misconnected flights, lost luggage and related complaints.” May continued, “These delays are inextricably linked with the government’s outdated and inefficient air traffic control system.”
May added, “2007, however, offers Congress a historic opportunity to address the cause of the frustrations with the reauthorization of the Airport and Airway Trust Fund under consideration. The time is right for Congress to approve an action plan for the Next Generation Air Traffic Control system and put in place a mechanism to approve fair and appropriate funding, while ending the multiple billion dollar subsidy of business jets at the expense of commercial airline passengers.”
ATA members transport more than 90 percent of all U.S. airline passenger and cargo traffic.
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