5 consumer goals for coming FAA bill


Travelers United presented aviation consumer goals to the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.


aviation consumer goalsIn a meeting with the Aviation Subcommittee staff to go over the upcoming Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Reauthorization Bill that will be shaped between now and September 2017, the consumer point of view was provided. These were the major issues that we are looking at in the upcoming bill and President Trump’s infrastructure development.
Air Traffic System Modernization
This issue has been an ongoing issue for the last decade. In terms of spending, it is the biggest infrastructure program in the United States since the Interstate Highway System. However, the amount of funding has not been the problem. Steady funding and administration of the project have crippled the operations.
The biggest problem from the consumer point of view is that too much money has been spent with poor results. The FAA is not mission oriented. It is an organization that is run by regulators and staffed by regulators. These regulators are living up to their name by developing regulations to stop progress rather than completing missions to change the system.

  • Change has come — There is wonderful technology that has been created. But, the pieces have not been assembled. A modernized air traffic system will benefit passengers and all Americans.
  • Save time for consumers — Allow planes to fly on direct routes rather than zig-zagging as they do today.
  • Save money on fuel — Direct flight paths and continuous descent protocols will save fuel.
  • Pilot awareness — Provide technology that allows pilots to be aware of surrounding air traffic. Today’s systems still operate based on visual contact.
  • More efficient use of airports — New technology allows most airports to increase take-offs and landings dramatically. This will allow additional savings on new airport construction.

Appoint a Competition Commission
take actionAlliances, Codesharing, ATI, and OpenSkies are programs that have been developed over the past two decades. They need to be changed. Consumers no longer have the benefits of clear comparison shopping and too much competition has been wrung out of the system.
No increase in Passenger Facility Charges (PFCs)
Any infrastructure development should be funded through today’s taxation on passengers. Additional funding should come from the communities that benefit from the economy that airports create. Local businesses in municipalities served by airports should fund improvements. Passengers already pay too much. If there are any increases in PFCs, they should be matched with decreases in other government-imposed fees.
Full Fare advertising for all common carriers
Common carriers — Planes, trains, buses, and cruise lines should all play by the same advertising rules. All mandatory taxes and fees should be included in their advertised prices. Today, airlines have to follow this rule. There is no reason that other common carriers should be excused from honest advertising.
Airfare and fees transparency
Travelers United is committed to the continued release of full airline pricing. Pricing should be available for airfares as well as all ancillary fees and all variations of those fees. Only with release of this pricing data can software engineers create a new shopping engine that will allow consumers to comparison shop efficiently.
Future of UAV Committee
In January, Airbus announced that they would develop a prototype of a flying car. The FAA planning for dispersement of drones and flying cars is non-existent. The country needs a forward-looking study group to provide a possible blueprint for the development of this mushrooming technology that will be layered between manned aviation and surface transportation.
The Advisory Committee for Aviation Consumer Protection (ACACP) should continue its Report to Congress
Language should be included in the FAA bill that will insure that work done by the ACACP is reported to Congress rather than left in a filing cabinet at the Department of Transportation. Only with open publication of advisory committee recommendations will change come about.
 

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