Release #14.90
November 18, 2014


View photos from the NextGen hearing.

ALPA to Congress: Ensure Long-term, Sustained Funding for NextGen
Calls to Eliminate Gov’t Policies that Harm U.S. Airlines’ Ability to Compete Globally

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Capt. Lee Moak, president of the Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l (ALPA) today challenged Congress to advance long-term, sustained funding for modernizing the national airspace and to end government policies that put U.S. airlines at a competitive disadvantage internationally. The call came in testimony (written submission | oral testimony) before the U.S. House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.

“When it comes to issues of modernizing the airspace in the United States, I’m happy to report that it’s on the verge of becoming a success story,” said Capt. Moak at the hearing titled FAA Reauthorization: Issues in Modernizing and Operating in the Nation’s Airspace. “We’ve made considerable progress, during turbulent times, in spite of dealing with issues like sequestration and operating under 23 short-term extensions.”

NextGen is a collaborative initiative to transform the air traffic management system from one using ground-based analog devices and procedures to a state-of-the art, 21st century, satellite-based means of safely improving capacity. NextGen planning and execution involves industry, government, and key users—including airline pilots, air traffic controllers, and technicians. The various system components save time, fuel, emissions, and money while increasing safety.

“There’s no question that our nation’s airspace needs an overhaul to prepare for the influx of passengers projected to arrive in our terminals and the continued growth of the cargo industry,” said Capt. Moak to lawmakers. “There’s also no question that there is room for growth in our aviation industry. I’d say that we agree on 95 percent of how to achieve that growth. But the 5 percent we disagree on lies in how to pay for it, and who pays for it.”

ALPA’s president underscored the union’s concern about a lack of commitment in dedicating federal resources to modernization. As an example of the lack of consistency, Capt. Moak pointed to the investment of $100,000 per aircraft made by several airlines to install controller-pilot datalink communications equipment, only to have the FAA cut funding for the program because Congress couldn’t support it.

“That put our airlines out millions of dollars and left them with useless equipment on aircraft,” Capt. Moak told the committee. “If our airlines invest in new equipment on our airliners, they have to see a return on their investment—not a different plan, from a different administration.”

ALPA’s testimony also emphasized that the U.S. national airspace system is by far the largest, most complex airspace system in the world and that other countries’ models may not scale up to meet U.S. needs. In addition, he said that structural changes to the governance of the FAA Air Traffic Organization may not solve the fundamental problem. “We first need the debate about reliable funding,” said Capt. Moak.

In addition, ALPA’s president also highlighted the 17 unique taxes paid on an airline ticket—the most of any industry and some of which do not go back into the aviation industry. “We are the global leader,” said Capt. Moak to the committee. “If we want to hold that position, we cannot allow government policies—either through laws, regulations, or taxes—to put us at a competitive disadvantage to the rest of the world.”

Capt. Moak called on the U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee members to do more to invest in the U.S. aviation industry, stating, “I am here to underscore that the Air Line Pilots Association is committed to working together to make the tough choices necessary to ensure our aviation system remains the best—and safest—system on the planet.”

Founded in 1931, ALPA is the world’s largest pilot union, representing more than 51,000 pilots at 30 airlines in the United States and Canada. Visit the ALPA website at www.alpa.org or follow us on Twitter @WeAreALPA.

###

CONTACT: ALPA Media, 703/481-4440 or Media@alpa.org

Stay connected with ALPA
FacebookTwitterFlickrYouTubeRSS FeedsLinkedInBlog