Wed, Mar 01, 2006
Predicts Future Capacity Relies On Trust Fund Reform
At the FAA annual
Forecast Conference Tuesday in Washington DC, Department of
Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta (right) predicted domestic
air travel will top one billion passengers a year by 2015 --
whether the nation's aviation system is prepared to handle it or
not.
Mineta added the ability of the system to handle the increase in
traffic will depend on finding a better way to pay for airport
construction and safety improvements.
Mineta said the number of people flying has shown steady growth
the past three years, surpassing record levels recorded before the
September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. And while he called the
forecast “sunny,” he also warned the picture could turn
bleak without reform of the federal Aviation Trust Fund.
"Our growing aviation system needs a more stable and predictable
revenue stream," Mineta said. Currently, trust fund revenues are
collected based on a percentage of the cost of airline tickets, and
have dropped in recent years due to cheaper airfares.
The Bush Administration expects to offer a plan this year to
revamp the outdated trust fund formula, he said, adding "there
needs to be a more direct relationship between revenues collected
and services provided."
Stopping short of saying user fees would be part of that "more
direct" relationship, Mineta told attendees that the proposal is
"still on the drafting table." He also addressed early critics of
the still-to-be-released plan by promising the process will
continue to be "fair and open throughout."
"The real solution is not reducing traffic to fit capacity,"
Mineta said. "We must expand capacity to handle the growing
traffic."
"Everything that we are trying to accomplish for the aviation
system hinges on our success."
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