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Chances of Privatizing Air Traffic Control Improving, Advocates Say


VOA
9 Dec 2016

Apart from Shuster, officials and lobbyists who work in infrastructure construction say the idea of privatizing air traffic controllers as part of an infrastructure bill is gaining steam, especially among those who are concerned that Congress will not be able to pass a separate sweeping transportation bill.

Congress has been averse to spending money, but privatizing air traffic control systems would shift the cost of upgrades from tax coffers to air travelers, the kind of move that makes lawmakers view it as free instead of an increase in federal spending.

'I've had some conversations with Trump transition folks and they seemed very interested in putting this in their larger infrastructure bill,' Shuster said.

Expensive upgrades

The air traffic control system is in need of expensive upgrades, including the multibillion-dollar implementation of 'NextGen,' a system that would utilize GPS to direct aircraft instead of the outdated use of radar.

In Shuster's vision, the move would not enrich any particular company as air traffic control would be overseen by a nonprofit that reinvest any profits back into infrastructure improvements.

Shuster broached the subject with Trump two years ago, he said, and the two have discussed it several additional times. He met with Chao last week.

It could take a strong presidential push for the privatization effort. Earlier this year, it failed to get even enough support from Republican members for a vote on the House floor.

In February, Delta released a study arguing that privatization would cost air travelers more and would not achieve any savings.

Many air traffic controller operations are funded through ticket taxes, which are levied on every flight. Historically, those taxes have been kept low by the government's aversion to raising rates.

But should control of the ticket tax move to an outside board, opponents are concerned that ticket prices could rise.

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