Crandall Says Public Should Pay More of ATC Costs

In the war of words between the airlines and general aviation about who should pay how much for ATC services, Pogo’s Robert Crandall argues that more of the general public should pick up the tab. In a recent presentation before the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, he said, “The big problem is that the Administration keeps reducing the amount contributed by the general fund. Since all Americans benefit from aviation and the travel and tourism industry it supports, and since aviation is an extraordinarily important component of our economy, it is clear to me that the public should pay for a major share of the cost of maintaining the aviation infrastructure used by travelers.” Furthermore, Crandall believes, “The airlines will be able to get less cost relief by increasing fees on general aviation than they could get–and should have–from increased general fund contributions.”