U.S. Travel Says FAA Reauthorization Critical For Jobs, Economy
Passage of legislation being considered by the Senate to reauthorize funding and programs for the Federal Aviation Administration is critical to improve the air travel process, which would support hundreds of thousands of jobs and add billions of dollars to the economy, the head of the U.S. Travel Association said today.
Roger Dow, U.S. Travel’s president and CEO, said that simply reducing delays could add $17 billion dollars in travel spending back into the economy. That spending could support more than 155,000 jobs in the travel industry, primarily in lodging, food services, amusement, recreation, and retail.
“In order for our economy to fully recover, we need to get business travelers moving efficiently from city to city, and not waiting for hours on end in airport lobbies or on tarmacs,” Dow said. “We need to make it easier for small businesses to expand and reach other markets around the country. And we need to build an air travel system for the 21st century. The FAA Reauthorization bill is an essential step in accomplishing these goals.”
The FAA Reauthorization bill will reduce delays and airport congestion by accelerating airport modernization efforts through implementing the NextGen air traffic control system, converting the nation’s air traffic control from a ground-based system to one that uses GPS.
The bill also improves consumer protections for air travelers by requiring airlines to develop contingency plans for delays while passengers are on an aircraft. Plans must include how the airlines will provide adequate food, water and access to restrooms. Airlines must also provide passengers with timely and accurate information regarding the flight.
“The risk to our nation associated with deterioration of the air travel system isn’t academic,” Dow said, “it’s real, tangible, and measureable. A 2008 U.S. Travel survey found that air travelers avoided 41 million trips from May 2007 to May 2008, or slightly more than 100,000 trips per day. That translates into a $26.5 billion loss to the U.S. economy.
“When Americans avoid travel, we lose more than just an airline ticket,” Dow noted. “Hotels lose customers. Local restaurants lose patrons. Salesmen lose clients. And businesses lose the opportunity to purchase valuable goods and services.
“By reducing the ‘hassle factor’ in flying, we can build an aviation system that truly facilitates commerce, instead of discouraging it.”
The U.S. Travel Association is the national, non-profit organization representing all components of the $704 billion travel industry. U.S. Travel's mission is to increase travel to and within the United States. For more information, visit www.ustravel.org.
