Controversial bill aims to privatize air-traffic control

WASHINGTON — A controversial proposal that puts the nation's air traffic controls into private hands burst on to the legislative scene Wednesday, pitting pilots against many airlines and the people who manage the skies.

The legislation, opposed by powerful lawmakers in both parties, drew unusual support from the air traffic controllers' union, which says the growing inefficiencies, dated equipment and unstable funding call for a drastic response.

Rep. Bill Shuster, R-Pa., chairman of the Transportation Committee, who proposed the change said it would insulate the air traffic control system from the funding whims of Congress, which, during a 2013 budget fight, shut down the government and furloughed air traffic controllers.

Shuster says the air traffic control system under the FAA is safe, but "incredibly inefficient."

The problems, he said, "will only get worse as passenger levels grow and as the FAA falls further behind in modernizing the system."

Lawmakers and various air traffic controller organization have proposed privatization at least eight times over the past 40 years. Dozens of other countries have privatized their air-traffic systems, but skeptics question whether private systems, such as the one adopted in Canada, would work in the larger, more complex U.S. airspace.

This time, National Air Traffic Controllers Association backed the proposal, and Airlines for America, a trade group for most major carriers, airline say that a private corporation governed by representatives of the aviation industry could move faster than FAA to upgrade equipment and adopt more efficient flight paths.

The opposition, however, lined up even before Schuster introduced the legislation. House Appropriations Chairman Hal Rogers, R-Ky., and the top Democrat, Nita Lowey of New York, said in a letter Monday to House Speaker Paul Ryan that such a move give the public less leverage to influence how the system operations.

Senate Appropriations Chairman Thad Cochran, R-Miss., and the top Democrat, Barbara Mikulski of Maryland, in a Jan. 27 letter said privatization would mean "less oversight and less accountability."

The top Democrat on the Transportation Committee, Rep. Peter DeFazio of Oregon, said the proposal gives the airlines too much power.

"The same people who today determine your baggage costs would determine what you would pay to use the air-traffic control system," DeFazio said. "I don't think that gives consumers a lot of confidence."

The Air Line Pilots Association, a union representing 52,000 pilots, fears airlines would shoulder the entire cost of air-traffic control rather than spreading the costs among all aircraft.

Delta Air Lines also parted ways with its industry brethren. Delta’s senior vice president for flight operations, Capt. Steve Dickson, said privatizing air-traffic control won’t reduce heavy traffic in the Northeast and could distract from current efforts to ease congestion. Delta CEO Richard Anderson called the proposal "unnecessary and unwise" in a Tuesday letter to Shuster.

Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx and FAA Administrator Michael Huerta have remained neutral on the proposal.

Under Schuster's proposal, the private, non-profit corporation would governed by an 11-member board that includes representatives appointed by government, airlines, general aviation and both the pilots' and controllers' unions.

The group Airlines for America suggests airline taxes and fees, amounting to $13 billion a year, would easily cover the $10 billion of operating the privatized air-traffic control system.

House transportation chairman: Privatize air-traffic control

Shuster’s proposal kicks off the debate on broader legislation to renew FAA policy that expires in March. Pilot training, airport fees and drone regulations will also be up for discussion.

The 273-page bill includes provisions that:

• Require airlines to refund baggage fees for bags delayed more than 24 hours on domestic flights.

• Ban the use of cell phones for in-flight voice calls on scheduled passenger flights.

• Authorize the Transportation Department to establish a smartphone application for consumer complaints.

• Require large and medium airports to provide private rooms in every terminal for nursing mothers.

• Require airlines to notify families before tickets are booked if family members will be assigned seats that
aren't together.

Air-traffic control union chief: Privatization possible, but funding crucial

Shuster's committee votes on the bill Feb. 11.

Airline executives urge privatization of air-traffic control