Mastio: Privatize air traffic control, escape political drama
As the recent government shutdown comes to an end, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has warned that airline traffic may take weeks to return to normal, exacerbating the chaos already experienced by millions of travelers due to delays and cancellations. This situation highlights a critical vulnerability in the current air traffic control system, which remains tethered to the whims of Washington politics. Advocates for privatization argue that a non-profit model for air traffic control, similar to the successful Canadian system, could provide a more reliable and efficient alternative, free from the disruptions caused by governmental funding lapses.
The case for privatization is compelling. Countries like Canada, Germany, and Australia have successfully transitioned to non-profit air traffic control systems that are self-funded through service fees, allowing for consistent investment in modern technology and infrastructure. For instance, Canada’s Nav Canada has been able to upgrade its radar and satellite systems on schedule, contrasting sharply with the FAA’s ongoing struggles with its NextGen modernization program, which has been plagued by delays and cost overruns since its inception in 2003. By removing air traffic control from political contention, proponents suggest that safety standards could be maintained or even enhanced, as oversight would still be managed by the FAA, ensuring accountability while allowing for innovation and modernization.
Critics, particularly on the left, express concerns that privatization could lead to compromised safety due to corporate profit motives. However, the proposed model is not a for-profit venture but rather a non-profit corporation that prioritizes safety and efficiency. With safety regulations and union protections already in place in successful privatized systems globally, there is potential for bipartisan support for this initiative. As public frustration with government shutdowns grows, the idea of privatizing air traffic control may gain traction, offering a path toward a more stable and efficient air travel experience for millions of Americans. The conversation is timely, with several pieces of legislation already in Congress that could pave the way for this significant change in how air traffic is managed in the United States.
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)
