Budget Includes ATC Privatization
Source: AvWeb
President Donald Trumps new budget includes privatization of air traffic control. The document tabled Thursday in Washington contains an outright endorsement of privatization as a move that would benefit the flying public and taxpayers overall. The airline industry has been lobbying non stop since Trumps election for the formation of a non-profit corporation to run the national airspace system controlled by a board of directors dominated by airline representatives. Most general aviation groups have vigorously opposed privatization, saying it would amount to handing the nations airspace over to the airlines, something the airlines themselves have suggested is accurate.
The budget calls for a multi-year reauthorization proposal to shift the air traffic control function of the Federal Aviation Administration [FAA] to an independent, non-governmental organization, making the system more efficient and innovative while maintaining safety. It drew immediate support from long-time privatization supporter Rep. Bill Shuster (R-PA), the chairman of Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. The committee proposed similar legislation last year but it was stalled by Senate opposition. The inclusion of this good government infrastructure proposal shows that the president is truly focused on changing the way Washington works, said Shuster, who has close ties to Aviation 4 America, the national group representing U.S. airlines.
The committee proposal met intense opposition from most aviation groups although AOPA, the largest of them, said it was open to discussing the move as long as it didn't result in user fees, something it has frequently stated that it flatly opposes. The Trump administration is apparently ready to go through the due diligence part of implementing the program. Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao is apparently planning to travel to Ottawa, Canada to meet with leaders of NavCanada, the non-profit corporation that has run the airspace north of the border and over the North Atlantic for 20 years. NavCanada charges most light aircraft operators in Canada a flat fee of $68 a year for access to all but the countrys 10 busiest airports. Commercial operators pay for access on a fee-for-service basis and are billed for air traffic control services.
Read more: http://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/Budget-Includes-ATC-Privatization-228650-1.html?ET=avweb:e3612:616675a:&st=email&v=A
Privatizing our Air Traffic Control system has been big airlines wet dream for years. It would reduce costs for the airlines, increase costs for everyone else (business aviation, private pilots, etc.), and increase the use of non-government contractors in air-traffic control towers. In my experience these contract controllers are not as proficient as those employed by the FAA.
msanthrope
(37,549 posts)Phoenix61
(17,006 posts)My forehead is going to be flat by the time 45 leaves office.
lark
(23,099 posts)Of course, I'm sure that's part of it, but not all, I bet. Wonder if he's trying to make it easier to infiltrate Russian agents into America? Next thought, OMG, what if this is the prelude to a terrorism attack? You know that's all orange assface needs to declare martial law,and shred the constitution by declaring us now Trumpland, since America was destroyed by terrorists. Let's see, a Russian agent who was born in Iran or even better yet Syria could certainly cause devastation, especially at pour insecure nuclear plants.
mnhtnbb
(31,388 posts)I don't want ATC run to maximize the bottom line. To see how little they can pay controllers and how many hours they can make them work.
Fu*k that idea.
DK504
(3,847 posts)hibbing
(10,098 posts)vlyons
(10,252 posts)Can the interstate highway system be far behind? We the people are simply profit centers for them to exploit.
As a matter of fact, I recently heard Elaine Chao wanting to make a ton of privatized roads, so they turn into toll roads. That. my friends, is the infrastructure they are planning. No matter how they try to make it look good, we all end up paying twice as much for everything.
TeamPooka
(24,226 posts)PATCO, the union he broke after they endorsed him for President.
by Joe McCartin
mobeau69
(11,144 posts)Maybe asshole won't be so lucky.
TeamPooka
(24,226 posts)mrmpa
(4,033 posts)is the first time I heard my Dad say "fuck" as in "fuck him" referring to Reagan
TygrBright
(20,760 posts)mwooldri
(10,303 posts)My sarcasm detection system is on the blink... While a private air traffic control system might marginally help rail's image, the anti-christian, anti-working class Trump budget isn't helping Amtrak any.
xxqqqzme
(14,887 posts)Which effectively means I get to stay put. Too many injuries from a auto accident make air travel impossible for me.
louis-t
(23,295 posts)"Efficient and innovative"? And of course, "safety". Like fracking. Add "choices and flexibility" and it is the perfect bullshit proposal we always get from them.
muntrv
(14,505 posts)annabanana
(52,791 posts)in THAT department
kimbutgar
(21,148 posts)I guess he has someone who will give his sons a contract to make this so. How friggin stupid to turn over this to a private company. Employees can be bribed to turn a blind eye and hire substandard workers at lower costs.
Aristus
(66,361 posts)"Gentlemen,
Our profits have been surging, and this is good. However, our shareholders tell us that profits are not surging fast enough to make them happy. So I would like to propose the following operational changes:
1. Elimination of paid rest breaks. If our air traffic controllers want to rest, they should do it on their own time.
2. No mandatory down time or shift turnaround time. They're sitting down and staring at a screen all day. By God, my grandson does that, and we don't pay him.
3. Reduce pay for all ATC's to minimum wage. Sitting down and staring at a screen is something anyone can do, even my grandson. Why pay competitive wages for that?
4. Fire all full-time ATC's, and re-hire them at part-time status, no matter how many hours they work. In this company, 'benefits' means: you have a job and a paycheck. You benefit from that.
5. Eliminate the weekend. What? People don't fly on the weekends? Get those ATC's in their chairs on Saturday and Sunday, and tell them to stop crying like a bunch of sissy-la-la's.
6. Lock all ATC's on-shift in the control tower until their shift ends. You can't trust them to be working to maximum efficiency if they can come and go as they please.
7. Eliminate all office-sponsored holiday parties, Christmas, New Year, July 4th, etc. We're not Party Universe. We're a real business. Let them party on their own time. Here, they work.
8. We are already in the process of eliminating health coverage. It's a tremendous waste of potential profit. If they get sick, they should die quickly so we can fill their slot with a new hire. Don't forget: We are the job creators.
I think this is a good start. Any additional ideas on boosting profits will be appreciated.
Meeting adjourned.
Hail Ayn!
bluevoter4life
(787 posts)Once I get a chance to write on something other than my phone.
JHan
(10,173 posts)the stupid is endless with this bunch.
jmowreader
(50,557 posts)A Russian passenger plane and a DHL cargo plane flying intersecting routes were put on the same altitude by a privatized air traffic controller. When the TCAS in both planes (a little black box on your airplane that's supposed to keep you from flying into other people) told one plane to climb and the other to descend, the privatized ATC told the plane ordered to climb to descend instead. A crash that killed everyone aboard both planes followed.
xxqqqzme
(14,887 posts)Another tRump appointee?