Story ID: 
NATA Says Reimbursement Process Daunting Task
By: Gordon Gilbert
Caption: The proposed procedure for reimbursing FBOs and other providers of general aviation ground-support services at five airports in the Washington, D.C.
Word Count: 162
The proposed procedure for reimbursing FBOs and other providers of general aviation ground-support services at five airports in the Washington, D.C. area for financial losses they incurred while the airports were closed after 9/11 is “a cumbersome government process” for small businesses and they will be “intimidated,” according to the National Air Transportation Association (NATA). In comments filed Monday on the DOT proposal, NATA asked that “auditors and the assistant secretary for aviation and international affairs be flexible and provide as much assistance as possible to small businesses.” While NATA has said it’s aware that federal funds typically cannot be used for attorney fees, the association contends that legal fees used in the application process for reimbursement should be eligible for repayment by the government. Finally, after expressing “extreme disappointment” at the length of time it has taken to publish the proposed rule, NATA asked that timely publication of the final rule and the application process itself become a “high priority.”