U.S. air traffic controllers handle more than 64 million takeoffs and landings each year, and Cleveland controllers alone handle more operations annually than Canada’s entire privatized system … according to the National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA). NATCA President John Carr last week spoke out against privatization. “We have the world’s safest, largest and most complex system. Why in the world would we ever dream of changing it?” Carr said. “Risking the public’s safety by putting air traffic control up for sale should never be an option.” The fiscal crunch at the FAA is also raising more fears of user fees. “There is going to be increasing noise about the FAA’s funding difficulties and who pays for what,” said AOPA President Phil Boyer last week. “Our members want a safe and efficient air transportation system. And they want it without user fees.”
…As NATCA Responds
Key Takeaways:
- The National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA) vehemently opposes the privatization of U.S. air traffic control, asserting the current system's unparalleled safety, size, and complexity, and highlighting its immense operational volume, such as Cleveland handling more operations than Canada's entire privatized system.
- Both NATCA and the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) express significant concerns over the FAA's fiscal challenges, fearing potential risks to public safety and the imposition of user fees, which AOPA members strongly oppose.
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