Mastio: Privatize air traffic control, escape political drama
As the recent government shutdown draws to a close, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has warned that airline traffic may take weeks to return to normal. This disruption has already affected millions of travelers, leading to delays and cancellations that have frustrated many. The situation highlights a significant vulnerability in the current air traffic control system, which is tethered to the unpredictable nature of government funding. In contrast, countries like Canada have successfully privatized their air traffic control systems, demonstrating that a non-profit model can operate more efficiently and reliably than a government bureaucracy.
The proposal to privatize air traffic control in the United States presents a compelling solution to the recurring issues caused by government shutdowns. By establishing a non-profit corporation to manage air traffic control, funding would come from fees charged to airlines and private aircraft, rather than relying on government appropriations that have historically been subject to political wrangling. This model, similar to Canada’s Nav Canada, has proven successful since its inception in 1996, allowing for timely investments in modern technology and improved safety standards without the constraints of taxpayer funding. Critics of privatization often fear that corporate interests may compromise safety; however, the proposed model would maintain strict oversight and safety regulations akin to those currently enforced by the FAA.
Transitioning to a non-profit air traffic control system could address the technological shortcomings that plague the FAA, which operates on a budget of $25 billion but struggles with outdated systems. The NextGen modernization program, intended to enhance air traffic management, has faced significant delays and cost overruns, with implementation pushed back to the 2030s. In contrast, Nav Canada has successfully upgraded its systems on schedule. The bipartisan appeal of this initiative could unite Democrats and Republicans around a common goal: ensuring safety, efficiency, and fiscal responsibility in air traffic management. With public frustration over government shutdowns at an all-time high, there is a unique opportunity for legislative change that could finally take air traffic control out of the political crossfire, benefiting travelers and the aviation industry alike.
As the government shutdown sputters to a close, the Federal Aviation Administration says that airline traffic will take weeks to get back to normal. That will add to the millions of travelers who have already had their flights delayed, disrupted and even derailed altogether. It doesn’t have to be this way.
Even the socialists in Canada have figured out that a private non-profit can reliably control air traffic better than a government bureaucracy. And with the prospect of another government shutdown just months away, our current system is a glaring vulnerability – a tether to the whims of Washington when the private sector could do it better without all the drama.
Privatizing air traffic control, as Canada and dozens of other nations have successfully done, offers a reasonable path forward. It’s time to remove this essential function from the political crossfire – which has allowed funding to lapse 14 times since 1980 – and entrust it to a non-profit, user-funded corporation.
Privatization would fund air traffic control through fees on airlines and private aircraft — fees already collected but currently funneled through volatile appropriations. No more shutdowns. No more chaos. Moreover, a non-profit corporation would have the freedom to expand training of the air traffic controllers in short supply under a government system that has restricted access to education in parochial political battles in Congress.
Critics on the left fear privatization means corporate greed will compromise safety. They point to for-profit models and conjure images of cost-cutting at the expense of lives. But the proposal isn’t a Wall Street takeover; it’s a non-profit corporation, modeled after Canada’s Nav Canada. Established in 1996, Nav Canada is governed by a board representing airlines, general aviation, unions, and the government. It’s self-funded via service charges, not taxpayer dollars, and has invested billions in modern technology.
Safety? Transport Canada’s oversight ensures standards are similar to FAA benchmarks, with accident rates on par with the US since privatization. The FAA would retain ultimate safety certification and oversight, much as it does with aircraft manufacturers like Boeing. And unions are banned from striking.
Non-profit air traffic control could eliminate the troubling technological incompetence that plagues the FAA’s $25 billion annual budget, much of which funds legacy systems from the 1970s. The NextGen modernization program, planned since 2003, remains mired in delays and cost overruns. It was originally set to be implemented this year, but internal FAA reports show much of it won’t be in place til the 2030s – if then. The FAA’s excuses for this delay are comical. Nav Canada, by contrast, upgraded its radar and satellite systems on time. Some argue we should just take their technology and move it here.
There’s something in this idea for everybody. Democrats secure ironclad safety regulations and union protections that are already working globally. Republicans gain fiscal discipline and a smaller government.
Before the shutdown, Trump’s transportation secretary said this was a no-go for them. “To have a fight about privatization is just going to divide people,” Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said at a press conference earlier this year. “And what that’ll actually do is make sure that we don’t actually build a brand new air traffic control system.”
Nothing could be more popular than getting Donald Trump and Chuck Schumer out of the cockpit. Germany, the United Kingdom and Australia have all already kicked their prime ministers to the curb; we should do the same with our politicians. There’s already several pieces of legislation in Congress to get this done, and public outrage at the shutdown could be just the catalyst we need.
David Mastio is a national columnist for The Kansas City Star and McClatchy/Tribune News Service
Travelers line up for to check their tickets at O’Hare International Airport in Chicago last week. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
