By Peter Salmonford
 What concerns me and concerns others of us here is that we need to elevate air traffic control from the area of technocrats and lower level people at airlines and put it right smack on top of the in box of major airline CEO's. I have not seen the CEO of American Airlines nor of Delta nor of United mention this issue.
They should be here. They should have a conga line going into the FAA Administrator's office right now demanding change because it is costing them money and it is a controllable cost. Before they go to labor, they need to talk about this issue because it is controllable.
Another point is that the other costs to industry are enormous. USAIR canceled an order for 40 Boeing jets. If we had a free flight system, I would maintain they probably could have ordered those jets.
So the current air traffic control system is constricting the entire economy, the economy of Hartford, CT, the economy of Idledale, OH, the economy of St. Louis, the economy of places even like
Cedar Rapids where they make avionics.
The system is hurting the entire economy, not just the area of airlines or the consumer who flies airlines. That is why it is critically important that we address this. And, most importantly, it is critically important that others in the industry get involved, that the chairman and CEO's of major airlines be here and not pass it down the line, that they understand this is a cost and that the heads of labor unions understand that the air traffic control system is costing their members what they have bargained for over the years, money.
The chairman and CEO's of companies like General Electric Aircraft Engines, Northrop, Textron, should be here and look into this because it is directly affecting them and their jobs and their futures.
It goes well beyond this, and we believe a free flight system could make this happen. I am sure that polititans can tell you about how it can happen. We believe this is probably the most pressing need right now facing the airline industry. It is not labor costs. It is not the other endemic inefficiencies that some major airlines seem to be in love with. The problem today that is most controllable is air traffic control. When we solve that, the airline industry can return to health, the consumer can benefit and so can communities.
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Free flight is just one of the topics that Peter likes to write about. Check out his other articles about Fuel Cell Cars, HHO Gas and DUI charges.
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