<ul class="summary-list"><li>A new study found personal wheelchairs can fit onto aircraft if the left two front seats are removed.</li><li>Former <keyword id="11971364" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="spirit-airlines" source="Orion">Spirit Airlines</keyword> CEO Ben Baldaza said the cabin modification could cost $1 million per aircraft per year.</li><li>Over 10,000 wheelchairs and scooters were damaged by airlines in 2019, according to data from the <keyword id="11895429" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="dot" source="Orion">DOT</keyword>.</li></ul>According to the <a href="https://www.ada.gov/">Americans with Disabilities Act</a>, airlines are not required to make it possible for passengers to fly in their personal wheelchairs. However, a new study concluded there may be a plausible, yet expensive, solution.A new study from the <a href="https://www.nationalacademies.org/news/2021/09/most-airplanes-could-accommodate-people-to-travel-seated-in-a-personal-wheelchair-but-follow-on-safety-feasibility-assessments-needed">National Academy of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine</a> concluded most commercial aircraft, if given special cabin modifications, can accommodate personal <keyword id="12205869" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="wheelchair" source="Orion">wheelchair</keyword>s. Currently, most passengers who need wheelchair service are transferred from their personal wheelchair to a narrow, airline-owned one, and their customized wheelchair, which can cost tens of thousands of dollars, is checked or stored in the cabin.The study said the most feasible location for personal wheelchair securement is the front of the aircraft near the boarding door, which would offer adequate space and eliminate the need to maneuver down the aisle. However, this would require airlines to remove two rows of seats at the front, left side of the cabin, which, on many airlines, is dedicated to business or first class. According to the study, eliminating front-row seats could pose a financial burden to airlines, including the cost of taking out the seats and the loss of premium capacity.Former Spirit Airlines CEO Ben Baldanza said that even if the affected seats were economy, it would cost airlines an estimated $1 million a year per plane to remove them. The <a href="https://www.nap.edu/catalog/26323/technical-feasibility-of-a-wheelchair-securement-concept-for-airline-travel">report</a> did not include the financial impact of removing two rows nor explored the safety of wheelchair securement for survivable air crashes.Offering the ability to fly with a personal wheelchair could be a game-changer for passengers with disabilities who have struggled to be comfortable in airline-provided wheelchairs or have had their <a href="https://www.insider.com/flying-with-wheelchairs-airlines-disability-rights-2021-7">equipment lost or broken</a>. John Morris, a power-wheelchair user and founder of <a href="https://wheelchairtravel.org/">WheelchairTravel.com</a>, told <a href="https://www.travelweekly.com/Travel-News/Airline-News/Airlines-can-secure-personal-wheelchairs-in-cabin-Will-they">Travel Weekly</a> his biggest problem is how often his equipment is damaged by airlines. According to <a href="https://www.transportation.gov/sites/dot.gov/files/2020-02/February%202020%20ATCR.pdf">DOT consumer data</a>, 10,548 wheelchairs and scooters were "lost, damaged, delayed, or pilfered" in the US in 2019. Up until December 2018, airlines were not required to report lost or damaged wheelchairs and scooters, but that changed when wheelchair-user and Illinois Senator Tammy Duckworth added a provision to the <a href="https://www.faa.gov/about/reauthorization/">FAA Reauthorization Act</a>.<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/bri-scalesse-delta-broke-wheelchair-systemic-problem-2021-7">TikTok star and disability advocate Bri Scalesse</a> called out <keyword id="11947683" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="delta-air-lines" source="Orion">Delta Air Lines</keyword> for damaging her wheelchair when she was returning home from a wedding earlier this year. She told Insider earlier the event was "dehumanizing" and highlights the industry problem that carriers continue to fail to care for their disabled customers and equipment.More recently, Boston resident Matt Wetherbee told local TV <keyword id="11893589" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="news" source="Orion">news</keyword> station his powered wheelchair was damaged by airline staff when flying out of Boston Logan International Airport on Sunday and that he had to leave it behind during his layover in Charlotte.<blockquote class="twitter-tweet blockquote" data-lang="en" data-cards="" data-conversation="">-Matt Wetherbee (@MWetherbee) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/1442558748950732808?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 27, 2021</a></blockquote>"We strive to provide a safe, enjoyable experience for all of our customers, including those who fly with wheelchairs and assistive devices, and we sincerely regret that Mr. Wetherbee had a negative <keyword id="11896628" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="travel" source="Orion">travel</keyword> experience. Our team is looking into what occurred, and we have reached out to apologize and discuss his concerns," American told Insider.

The ADA doesn't require airlines to let passengers fly in their personal wheelchairs, but a new study suggests an expensive solution

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Many lawmakers on Capitol Hill have been pushing for long-haul flights at National Airport for years.</li><li>But the senators from Virginia and Maryland are firmly against the provision, pointing to safety concerns.</li></ul>For many members of Congress, the allure of adding long-haul flights to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) is impossible to resist. The Arlington, Va., airport is easily accessible by car and public transit, and its proximity to Capitol Hill makes it a favorite of lawmakers.National Airport, which served nearly 26 million passengers last year, has long had to abide by a 1,250-mile perimeter restriction, effectively boxing out <a target="_blank" href=" https://www.businessinsider.com/washington-national-airport-long-distance-flights-perimeter-rule-faa-capitol-2023-7">long-haul flights that would greatly benefit lawmakers from Western states</a>.But on Monday, congressional negotiators put forward a Federal Aviation Administration reauthorization bill that would add 10 long-haul slots to the already-strained airport, which led the US senators from both Virginia and Maryland to quickly blast the move.In a joint statement, Democratic Sens. Mark Warner and Tim Kaine of Virginia and Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen of Maryland criticized the proposal, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cardin.senate.gov/press-releases/faa-reauthorization/">arguing that passenger safety could potentially be put at risk</a> by such a decision."We are deeply frustrated that Committee leadership with jurisdiction over the FAA Reauthorization Act — none of whom represent the Capital region — have decided to ignore the flashing red warning light of the recent near collision of two aircraft at DCA and jam even more flights onto the busiest runway in America," they said, referring to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/transportation/2024/04/19/faa-investigating-near-miss-reagan-national/">a near miss at the airport earlier this month</a>."It should go without saying that the safety of the traveling public should be a higher priority than the convenience of a few lawmakers who want direct flights home from their preferred airport," the senators continued. "We will continue to fight against this ridiculous and dangerous provision."While Delta Air Lines has thrown its support behind the long-haul provision, United Airlines has opposed the push.The quartet of senators from Virginia and Maryland have voiced their opposition to the proposed provision since last year.However, for many lawmakers, a trip from Capitol Hill to National Airport reigns supreme. Washington Dulles International Airport and Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport, while fully equipped to handle long-haul flights, are miles outside of Washington, DC. And missing a flight due to a delayed vote can mean waiting until the next day to travel back home.Still, Kaine, Warner, Cardin, and Van Hollen remain opposed to the potential provision in the FAA reauthorization."The senators representing the region and the people who most use this airport stand uniform against a provision negotiated without us that will guarantee more unacceptable delay and compromise passenger safety," they added.

Local senators slam FAA bill provision that would add long-haul flights to a key DC-area airport and benefit lawmakers: 'Ridiculous and dangerous'

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Buttigieg is facing criticism after a technology system outage caused flight cancellations.</li><li>"When there's an issue with FAA, we're gonna own it, we're gonna understand it," he told MSNBC.</li></ul>Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg says he has directed the Federal Aviation Administration to determine the "root cause" of a technology system outage that caused thousands of flight cancellations and delays.The disruption, which caused the FAA to temporarily ground domestic departures on Wednesday, adds to other recent issues impacting airlines, including <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/pete-buttigieg-vows-to-hold-southwest-airlines-accountable-2022-12">Southwest's cancellation</a>of thousands of flights during the holiday season."We're holding airlines accountable to their responsibilities," Buttigieg <a href="https://www.msnbc.com/andrea-mitchell-reports/watch/buttigieg-no-indication-of-nefarious-cause-of-faa-outage-but-not-yet-prepared-to-rule-that-out-159715397669" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said on MSNBC Wednesday</a>. "When there's an issue on the government side of the house, when there's an issue with FAA, we're gonna own it, we're gonna understand it and we're gonna make very clear what's needed in order to fix it and go after that plan."Buttigieg would not rule out nefarious activity in the outage, but said there "hasn't been any indication of that."<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/faa-lifts-ground-stop-flights-resume-us-domestic-notam-outage-2023-1">Flights resumed</a> on Wednesday after the FAA's "Notice to Air Missions" system (NOTAM) suffered an outage on Tuesday night that ran into Wednesday morning. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-faa-notam-system-that-caused-flight-delays-2023-1">NOTAM's report abnormalities in the US national airspace system</a> in real time and are critical to safety. The FAA said it determined the safety system had been fully restored.The disruption prompted criticism from multiple Republican lawmakers. Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas tweeted that the Transportation secretary "couldn't organize a one-car funeral," and House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan tweeted, "Don't remember seeing this many flight delays during the Trump Administration."Disapproval also came from the left, with progressive activist Nina Turner, a former Ohio state senator who co-chaired Sen. Bernie Sanders' 2020 presidential bid, <a href="https://twitter.com/ninaturner/status/1613196083471024128" target="_blank" rel="noopener">tweeting</a>: "Being good at talking on Fox News isn't a qualification to run the Department of Transportation." <a href="https://twitter.com/ninaturner/status/1613260994108596228" target="_blank" rel="noopener">She later added</a> that Buttigieg is not performing well, and those defending him are protecting him for the 2028 presidential cycle.The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee's top Democrat on CNN Wednesday said the FAA system failure raises questions about the FAA's current state of technology infrastructure. "Members of Congress are going to want to see the results of that after-action report," <a href="https://www.cnn.com/us/live-news/faa-system-outage-us-flight-disruptions/h_82fd16a02b750a048609d336348f3b5b" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said Rep. Rick Larsen of Washington state.</a><a href="Rep.%20Rick Larsen of Washington state" target="_blank" rel="noopener"></a>Buttigieg addressed the outage on MSNBC and <a href="https://www.cnn.com/travel/videos/us/2023/01/11/pete-buttigieg-ath-intv-faa-notam-system-sot-vpx.cnn" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CNN</a>, saying he welcomes Congress' attention and that the FAA acted in the interest of passengers' safety."Air travelers have been through a lot, from the effects of the winter storm to the airline issues that we saw over the summer," he said on MSNBC. Moving forward, he said it's important for the FAA to understand why this level of disruption was possible, especially at a time when Congress will be looking at a periodic reauthorization of FAA legislation."This is an incredibly complex system," he said on MSNBC. "So glitches or complications happen all the time, but we can't allow them to ever lead to this level of disruption and we won't ever allow them to lead to a safety problem."

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg says 'we're gonna own' FAA system outage as Republicans denounce his leadership

<ul class="summary-list"><li>In August, the FAA opened its site to public comments regarding the safety of airplane seats.</li><li>Thousands of travelers voiced their discomfort with current seat dimensions on planes in November.</li></ul>Months after travelers came out to voice disapproval over airplane seats during an online discussion hosted by the Federal Aviation Administration, a US court has ruled against enforcing minimum requirements for seat size and spacing.On Friday, the DC Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that advocacy group FlyersRights.org couldn't force the FAA to adopt seating dimension rules. Circuit Judge Justin Walker highlighted safety as a main reason the three-judge panel rejected the claims, <a href="https://www.reuters.com/legal/us-court-wont-require-faa-make-airplane-seat-size-spacing-rules-2023-03-03/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reuters reported.</a>"To be sure, many airline seats are uncomfortably small. That is why some passengers pay for wider seats and extra legroom," Walker wrote. "Unless they are dangerously small, seat-size regulations are not 'necessary for the safety of passengers.'"In November, the FAA invited passengers to <a href="https://www.faa.gov/seat-size-comments#:~:text=Stay%20tuned%20to%20this%20page,or%20before%20November%201%2C%202022." target="_blank" rel="noopener">share their thoughts and concerns</a> on the matter to help the agency decide whether to implement a rule on minimum seat dimensions. At the time, FAA told Insider it was reviewing <a href="https://www.regulations.gov/document/FAA-2022-1001-0001/comment" target="_blank" rel="noopener">thousands of comments</a>, which were posted on the organization's website during a 90-day period from August 3 to November 1, before making a decision.Although the three-month period for public comments was intended to help improve safety for air passengers —particularly in emergency evacuations — more than 21,000 commenters spoke of their discomfort in seats on a variety of airlines."Airplane seats are FAR too small. There needs to be a minimum size established, and it needs to be larger than the current sizing," commenter Epiphany Pizor wrote. Pizor continued: "Estimates say that fewer than TWENTY PERCENT of Americans can fit in current airplane seats, and whether or not you feel that fat people deserve to be treated with dignity, that number is totally unacceptable."Paul Hudson, president of FlyersRights.org and a member of the FAA Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Committee, <a href="https://www.goodmorningamerica.com/travel/story/faa-seeks-feedback-airplane-seat-sizes-87824657" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told Good Morning America</a> in August the statistics are even more grim for men. "Only about 50% of the population can fit in the seats and for men, only about 13% have shoulders that are narrower than the seats," Hudson said.According to a report from <a href="https://thepointsguy.com/news/airline-seat-size/">The Points Guy,</a> 390 people wrote about concerns over "circulation" while 2,900 commenters referenced "knees" in their entry."Our airplane's seats do need to be updated; we are packed so tightly that there is no way one can get out of the plane's seats safely if there is an emergency," commenter Joellen Reichenbach wrote. "The space between each seat already causes knees to be against the pockets of the next seat in front of you."However, Walker and the rest of the judges seem to disagree with Reichenbach's take, and maintained that "it is not 'clear and indisputable' that airline seats have become dangerously small," per Reuters.In 2018, <a href="https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/PLAW-115publ254/pdf/PLAW-115publ254.pdf">Congress passed the FAA Reauthorization Act</a>, directing the agency to issue seat dimension rules regarding passenger safety. While the policy called on the FAA to settle on standards within the year, the organization has yet to do so — instead it has conducted simulated emergency evacuations that did not find a need to increase the size of seats, <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/travel/2022/11/08/plane-seat-size-faa-comments/">The Washington Post reported</a>. Michael Kirkpatrick, a lawyer for FlyersRights, expressed his disappointment with the outcome in court."Even rules codifying the status quo would stop seat dimensions from getting even smaller," Kirkpatrick said, according to Reuters.

The FAA won't have to establish seating size and space rules despite all the complaints, US court rules

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The Federal Aviation Administration announced a new rule on Tuesday that extends flight attendant rest.</li><li>The new rule mandates flight attendants to get 10 hours between shifts instead of the former nine hours.</li></ul>The Federal Aviation Administration has followed through on its promise to increase flight attendant rest.On Tuesday, the agency <a href="https://www.faa.gov/newsroom/biden-harris-administration-extends-rest-periods-flight-attendants">finalized</a> a proposed rule that <a href="https://www.faa.gov/newsroom/flight-attendant-duty-period-limitations-and-rest-requirements-final-rule">extends</a> the flight attendant rest period to 10 consecutive hours when they're scheduled to work for 14 hours or longer. The rule will take effect in roughly 30 days.The new rule will also eliminate any option for airlines to reduce rest to less than 10 hours. Prior to the change, airlines could schedule flight attendants for nine hours of rest, and, in some cases, as little as eight hours between shifts, <a href="https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/14/121.467">according to the FAA</a>."Flight attendants, like all essential transportation workers, work hard every day to keep the traveling public safe, and we owe them our full support," US Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg said in a press release. "This new rule will make it easier for flight attendants to do their jobs, which in turn will keep all of us safe in the air."The move comes after <a href="https://www.afacwa.org/flight-attendant-fatigue">years of pressure</a> from unions like <a href="https://www.afacwa.org/flight_attendants_achieve_10_hours_rest_faa_final_rule">the Association of Flight Attendants</a>, which was ignited by the <a href="https://www.faa.gov/about/reauthorization">FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018</a>. The bill focused on things like improving safety, expediting airport projects, and reducing aircraft noise. Of particular note was increasing flight attendant rest.However, <a href="https://transportation.house.gov/news/press-releases/tandi-committee-members-urge-the-biden-administration-to-finalize-long-overdue-flight-attendant-rest-rule#:~:text=In%202018%2C%20Congress%20passed%20the,period%20of%20at%20least%2010">members of the House Committee of Transportation and Infrastructure</a> said in August that the final rule has taken too long to implement and that the "significant, prolonged delay is unacceptable and presents continued risk to aviation safety."The FAA made progress in November 2021 when it announced a <a href="https://www.faa.gov/newsroom/faa-proposes-longer-rest-period-between-shifts-flight-attendants">proposed rule</a> that would extend the rest period to 10 hours, but failed to make it official until nearly a year later.In its proposal, the FAA <a href="https://www.regulations.gov/document/FAA-2019-0770-0219">acknowledged</a> there was a "potential for fatigue to be associated with poor performance of safety and security related tasks," with examples of a near inadvertent slide deployment and poor response to passenger events.<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2021/10/21/us-faa-proposes-minimum-rest-periods-for-flight-attendants-between-shifts.html">According to CNBC</a>, unions have told the FAA that many carriers, like Delta Air Lines, already schedule their flight attendants for 10 hours of rest.Partner at Clyde &amp; Co Ken Quinn, who is an aviation-focused lawyer and former attorney for the FAA, said the rule could take away flexibility from the airlines and potentially add costs and scheduling issues."It's not just nine hours to 10, it's eliminating any kind of flexibility of an airline to schedule less than 10, which used to be eight," he explained. "It's helpful for airlines to have some flexibility without the need to create huge buffers, so 10 hours becomes 11 hours [of rest] because you have to take into account the uncertainty of a delay or maintenance."He further explained that changing schedule flexibility tends to increase costs because airlines will need additional people on call, there can be new-hire turnover, and there's scheduling software all associated when dealing with the "lack of flexibility" in the new rule."In addition to immediately requiring additional costs, which seems to be baked in, it's just another aspect of increasing labor costs, especially during this labor shortage, that is creating higher ticket prices for the traveling public," Quinn said.Airline lobbying group Airlines for America estimates the additional hour of rest could cost all US carriers $1 billion over 10 years and result in a loss in wages for flight attendants, <a href="https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2021/11/02/2021-23253/flight-attendant-duty-period-limitations-and-rest-requirements">per a comment set to the FAA</a>."This is certainly a victory for labor unions, but one that I think management has come to terms with and is not going to be fighting," Quinn told Insider. "Fatigue management is a legitimate issue, and we want people to be rested and alert to carry out their safety-critical jobs."

The FAA's new rule mandating flight attendants get more rest between flights could mean less flexibility and additional costs for airlines

<table class="image-container float_right" width="200"><tr><td><div class="image"><img src="http://static4.businessinsider.com/image/51473d5aecad041632000004-400-300/drones-4.jpg" border="0" alt="Drones" /></div><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/21356749@N05/2076180995/sizes/m/in/photostream/">trinity2492 via Flickr</a>Don't drone me, bro.</td></tr></table><keyword id="94769" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="drones">Drones</keyword> have been used for war, but they also have serious business applications in markets ranging from music videos to agriculture. However, the <keyword id="137685" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="FAA">FAA</keyword> currently bans all commercial use of drones pending regulatory rules scheduled to be published sometime in 2015. 
Panelists and attendees of a <keyword id="265897" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="SXSW">SXSW</keyword> panel discussion entitled "Who’s Afraid Of The Big Bad Drone?" bemoaned these onerous rules and described them as choking off innovation. 
Film production companies benefit from the use of camera-equipped drones. They can get angles and camera shots that are impossible for a helicopter, and a crashed drone is immensely less likely to result in serious injury or loss of life.
Some film production companies are using drones quietly in the hopes of not attracting FAA attention. One attendee described receiving a cease &amp; desist letter from the FAA after using drones to film.
Agricultural companies use drones to analyze crops. Since this tends to be a service offered to farmers for free in order to market other products, it’s avoided FAA pressure so far. But with no clear rules in place, it remains a gray area. 
The FAA is required under the <a href="http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c112:H.R.658:">2012 FAA Reauthorization Act</a> to develop a regulatory framework for licensing of commercial drones by 2015, but hobbyists and entrepreneurs fear that the deadline may not be met, leaving them in legal limbo. Industry group <a href="http://www.auvsi.org/Home/">AUVSI</a> (Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International) released a report claiming that every year the FAA delays integrating commercial drones into the US airspace <a href="http://tech.fortune.cnn.com/2013/03/12/what-is-the-drone-industry-really-worth/">costs the economy at potential $10 billion</a>.
The drone industry is frightening to many because its military applications are what tends to make news, but drones have many nonthreatening commercial uses that are being held back by the FAA limitations. Entrepreneurs at SXSW and elsewhere are eager to deploy this technology.

Entrepreneurs At SXSW: Give Us Our Drones!

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Joe Biden signed into law the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024.</li><li>It stops airlines charging families to sit together, as well as other pro-consumer initiatives. </li></ul>On Thursday, Joe Biden signed an extensive bipartisan bill that hopes to reform aviation.The $105 billion legislation <a target="_blank" href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2024/05/16/statement-from-president-joe-biden-after-signing-faa-reauthorization-act/">reauthorizes the Federal Aviation Administration</a> and the National Transportation Safety Board until 2028.It brings a range of improvements for travelers, mostly related to consumer protection.The maximum civil penalty for airline consumer violations has been raised from $25,000 to $75,000, plus the bill makes it easier for passengers to file complaints.It also says that within six months, a rule will be made making it easier for <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/flight-etiquette-influencer-switch-plane-seats-family-2023-3">families to sit together on planes</a>. That would include prohibiting airlines from charging passengers to seat a child under 14 next to an accompanying adult.The bill says the FAA Administrator will decide within 60 days whether to mandate <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/travelers-call-on-federal-aviation-administration-for-larger-airplane-seats-2022-11">minimum seat dimensions on planes</a> for safety reasons.Safety is a prime focus of the bill, with an increased scrutiny of aircraft production.Senate Commerce Committee Chair Maria Cantwell said: "Plane manufacturers will see more safety inspectors on factory floors and tougher safety standards from the FAA."Notably, the bill also has new rules about cockpit voice recorders — which comes after criticism from the chair of the NTSB over <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/alaska-airlines-cockpit-voice-recorder-data-lost-overwritten-ntsb-2024-1">January's Alaska Airlines blowout</a>.The data from the voice recorder in that incident was lost because it wasn't retrieved within two hours, so the NTSB called for increasing the holding time to 25 hours, in line with European requirements.The bill says that all newly manufactured aircraft must have cockpit voice recorders that retain the last 25 hours of information, which will apply to all planes within six years."The bipartisan Federal Aviation Administration reauthorization is a big win for travelers, the aviation workforce, and our economy. It will expand critical protections for air travelers, strengthen safety standards, and support pilots, flight attendants, and air traffic controllers," Biden said in a statement.He added: "Passengers shouldn't have to jump through endless hoops just to get the refunds that they are owed, and corporations shouldn't rip off hardworking Americans through hidden junk fees."The bill comes days after <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/airlines-sue-biden-administration-dot-fee-transparency-baggage-change-seat-2024-5">several US airlines sued the Department of Transportation</a> over rules requiring upfront fee disclosures. The DOT <a target="_blank" rel="" href="https://www.transportation.gov/briefing-room/biden-harris-administration-announces-final-rule-protect-consumers-surprise-airline">said</a> in late April this could save consumers over $500 million a year.

A major new aviation bill seeks to end passengers being made to pay to sit with their kids, and to improve safety on planes after the Alaska blowout

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Sen. Kyrsten Sinema made a last-minute push in June to change training requirements for pilots.</li><li>At the same time, she received over $100,000 from the airline industry over the last three months.</li></ul>In June, Sen. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona began a last-minute push to change the training requirements for airline pilots by establishing a new training program that <a href="https://www.alpa.org/-/media/ALPA/Files/pdfs/news-events/letters/2023/0615-commerce-faa-reauthorization.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">critics argue</a> could reduce safety in the industry.The Democrat-turned-independent, along with Republican Sen. John Thune of South Dakota, <a href="https://s3.documentcloud.org/documents/23879789/thune_sinema_1.pdf">proposed an amendment to the Federal Aviation Administration Reauthorization Act</a> targeting the so-called "1500-hour rule" for airline pilots.The <a href="https://www.alpa.org/-/media/ALPA/Files/pdfs/news-events/letters/2023/0615-commerce-faa-reauthorization.pdf">Air Line Pilots Association,</a> arguing the rule has reduced the number of airplane crashes since it was instituted in 2010, said that the amendment could result in some pilots flying with as few as 500 hours of training, though it is not mandated by Sinema's provision.The introduction of the amendment prompted the Senate Commerce Committee to postpone a vote on the bill — and <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2023/06/15/duckworth-sinema-pilot-training-rules-00102228">elicited anger</a> from one of Sinema's Democratic colleagues, Sen. Tammy Duckworth of Illinois."Now is not the time to put corporate profits ahead of the lives of our constituents who may want to board a commercial flight in the future," Duckworth <a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?c5074695/senator-duckworth-warns-colleagues-pilot-training-proposal-lead-blood-hands">said on the Senate floor</a> that day. "A vote to reduce the 1500-hour rule for pilot training will mean blood on your hands when the inevitable accident occurs as a result of an inadequately trained flight crew."But for the <a href="https://www.npr.org/2022/09/21/1124201271/airline-bid-reduce-flight-hours-new-pilots-faa-rejects">airline industry that's been pushing for that reduction</a>, it was a sign that they had Sinema's ear.It's not hard to see why.Political action committees and airline executives gave over $100,000 to Sinema's campaign from April to June, according to <a href="https://docquery.fec.gov/pdf/497/202307159583560497/202307159583560497.pdf">recently-filed documents</a> with the Federal Election Commission.That sum includes $24,600 from PACs — including $5,000 from Delta Airlines', $4,500 for Southwest Airlines and $3000 from Alaska Air Group — and $77,700 from self-identified employees of the industry, the vast majority of which listed themselves as executives.Altogether, the money accounts for over a tenth of contributions to Sinema's main campaign account over the last 3 months.And before this past quarter, airline PACs and executives had contributed $150,000 to Sinema's campaign over the last two years, <a href="https://theintercept.com/2023/06/23/kyrsten-sinema-pilot-training-airline-industry/">as reported by The Intercept in June</a> — indicating a significant uptick in contributions from the industry as a potentially blistering re-election campaign looms ahead.Reached for comment, a spokesperson for Sinema's Senate office defended the amendment, saying it was not the result of industry lobbying, but from experts and the <a href="https://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/headquarters_offices/avs/offices/afx/afs/afs200/afs280/act_arc/act_arc_reco/media/2016/ACT_ARC_Reco_16-8.pdf">recommendations of a committee</a> at the Federal Aviation Administration. Additionally, the spokesperson noted, a <a href="https://www.travelweekly.com/Travel-News/Airline-News/Dispute-over-pilot-training-stalling-FAA-reauthorization">similar amendment to the underlying bill cleared a House committee.</a>"This broadly supported bipartisan amendment empowers the FAA to determine the safest way to train pilots and continues Kyrsten's laser focus on increasing aviation safety," the spokesperson said.The second-quarter fundraising figures, verified by Insider, were initially provided by Replace Sinema PAC, a group seeking to prevent the independent senator's re-election that's supporting Democratic Rep. Ruben Gallego's Senate campaign."Kyrsten Sinema has shown that the only people she sticks her neck out for are her corporate donors, from preserving Wall Street tax loopholes to putting airline industry profits over passenger safety, in order to get thousands in donations," said Sacha Haworth, a spokesperson for the PAC. "It's no wonder her own colleague says she'll have blood on her hands if her proposal passes."Correction: July 18, 2023 — An earlier version of this article stated that Sinema's amendment would loosen pilot training requirements. It has been updated to reflect that the amendment proposes a new training program that critics argue would do so.

Kyrsten Sinema raked in more than $100,000 from the airline industry as she pushed to alter pilot training requirements

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Airlines break thousands of wheelchairs, scooters, and other mobility equipment per year.</li><li>A broken wheelchair impacts a disabled person's mobility, independence, and quality of life.</li><li><keyword id="6371630" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="disability">Disability</keyword> advocates are working to allow wheelchairs on flights and make <keyword id="6367788" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="planes">planes</keyword> accessible.</li></ul>The day before his flight from Minneapolis to Orlando to speak at a conference, author, YouTuber, and president of <a href="https://www.laughingatmynightmare.com/">Laughing At My Nightmare</a> Shane Burcaw <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CP64zxmrCeG/">posted a message on Instagram</a> begging Delta not to break his wheelchair."My wheelchair gets damaged often enough that every flight I take feels like a terrifying gamble," Burcaw, who makes videos about disability and relationships with his wife Hannah Aylward, told Insider. "I'd estimate there has been damage on 60% of the flights I've taken, but every trip I nervously hold my breath and expect the worst."<blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:800; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px); data.width~800;"><div style="padding:8px;"><div style="background:#F8F8F8; line-height:0; margin-top:40px; padding:62.4537037037% 0; text-align:center; width:100%;"><div style="background:url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAACwAAAAsCAMAAAApWqozAAAABGdBTUEAALGPC/xhBQAAAAFzUkdCAK7OHOkAAAAMUExURczMzPf399fX1+bm5mzY9AMAAADiSURBVDjLvZXbEsMgCES5/P8/t9FuRVCRmU73JWlzosgSIIZURCjo/ad+EQJJB4Hv8BFt+IDpQoCx1wjOSBFhh2XssxEIYn3ulI/6MNReE07UIWJEv8UEOWDS88LY97kqyTliJKKtuYBbruAyVh5wOHiXmpi5we58Ek028czwyuQdLKPG1Bkb4NnM+VeAnfHqn1k4+GPT6uGQcvu2h2OVuIf/gWUFyy8OWEpdyZSa3aVCqpVoVvzZZ2VTnn2wU8qzVjDDetO90GSy9mVLqtgYSy231MxrY6I2gGqjrTY0L8fxCxfCBbhWrsYYAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); display:block; height:44px; margin:0 auto -44px; position:relative; top:-22px; width:44px;"></div></div><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CP64zxmrCeG" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank"></a> <p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A post shared by Shane Burcaw (@shaneburcaw)<time style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;" datetime=""></time></div></blockquote>When Burcaw and Aylward boarded their flight, airport workers took his wheelchair to the cargo hold, as is standard procedure. Upon landing, Aylward filmed for the couple's channel, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdomP1JqhnyBQGaBmfDl4KQ">Squirmy and Grubbs</a>, as she retrieved the wheelchair. One of the footrests had broken off, the seat was stuck in its fully leaned-back position, and it wouldn't turn on."When Hannah said my chair wasn't turning on, I immediately began running through worst case scenarios," Burcaw said. "What if we can't get to the speaking engagement? What if we can't even leave the airport? What if I'm without my chair for days or weeks?"<h2>Airlines break thousands of wheelchairs and scooters every year</h2>To board a plane, wheelchair users must surrender their devices, which are often custom made and cost tens of thousands of dollars, and hope that airlines return them from the cargo hold intact. Oftentimes, they don't, leaving passengers stranded or waiting months for repairs. Activists and politicians are fighting for change, advocating for accessible airplanes that allow passengers to stay in their wheelchairs on flights and prevent damage from happening in the first place.Airlines weren't legally required to report damages to mobility equipment until December 2018, when Illinois Senator Tammy Duckworth, who uses a wheelchair herself, added a provision into the FAA Reauthorization Act. In the first full year of tracking incidents, the Department of Transportation found <a href="https://www.transportation.gov/sites/dot.gov/files/2020-02/February%202020%20ATCR.pdf">10,548 wheelchairs or scooters were "mishandled"</a> in 2019. That's about 29 damaged, delayed, lost, or stolen wheelchairs every day. That number decreased to 3,464 devices in 2020 - about 9.5 per day - as the coronavirus pandemic halted travel plans.In the first quarter of 2021, <a href="https://www.transportation.gov/sites/dot.gov/files/2021-05/May%202021%20ATCR.pdf">airlines reported 712 mishandled wheelchairs or scooters</a> - almost eight per day. Spirit Airlines had the highest percentage of incidents, damaging 2.88% of enplaned wheelchairs and scooters, followed by JetBlue (2.27%), American Airlines (1.57%), and Frontier (1.55%). <div type="image" title="Emily Ladau." height="3600" width="2400" msid="84249885" hostid="261"></div>Emily Ladau, a disability advocate and author of "<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Demystifying-Disability-What-Know-Ally/dp/1984858971">Demystifying Disability: What to Know, What to Say, and How to Be an Ally</a>," says these numbers are likely underreported since it's often faster for wheelchair users to handle the repairs themselves."Rather than following all of the channels and hoops that you need to jump through in order to report the issue and get the airline to support you in fixing it, I feel like a lot of people just want to get out of there and deal with someone who they already work with to fix their wheelchair, and not spend hours in the airport or hours on the phone fighting with people," she said.That's what Burcaw and Aylward did in Orlando. After two and a half hours of waiting for Delta's repair company, Burcaw says he and Aylward found a technician from the conference they were scheduled to speak at who successfully talked them through the repair over the phone.<iframe width="800" height="600" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/n7mJj9t5eC0" frameborder="0"></iframe>A Delta representative told Insider in a statement that Burcaw's wheelchair "was fully working approximately one hour after his arrival.""We're sorry about this customer's experience after he arrived on a flight to Orlando when the power supply circuit breaker on his intact wheelchair needed to be reset," the statement said. "Our teams were supporting him and his party throughout their travels including troubleshooting assistance at his direction."<h2>A broken wheelchair impacts a disabled person's mobility, independence, and quality of life</h2>"I think that there's a lack of taking it seriously when it comes to handling mobility equipment and not recognizing that this thing that you're throwing around is someone else's lifeline and their source of movement and freedom," Ladau said. In May, a <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@briscalesse/video/6964887888093875462?referer_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.insider.com%2F&amp;referer_video_id=6964887888093875462&amp;refer=embeder=embed">video posted to TikTok</a> showed Delta passenger Gabrielle DeFiebre sobbing at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport after her custom-made wheelchair was returned broken after a flight. The text over the video read, "Today my heart broke watching my best friend sob because Delta broke her wheelchair. She kept repeating, 'this is my life. This is the only way I can live my life.'" The video amassed over 16 million views.<blockquote class="tiktok-embed" cite="https://www.tiktok.com/@briscalesse/video/6964887888093875462" data-video-id="6964887888093875462" style="max-width: 605px;min-width: 325px;"> <section> <a target="_blank" title="@briscalesse" href="https://www.tiktok.com/@briscalesse">@briscalesse</a> When is this going to stop? <a title="fyp" target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/fyp">#fyp</a> <a title="disabilitiyawareness" target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/disabilitiyawareness">#disabilitiyawareness</a> <a title="wheelchair" target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/wheelchair">#wheelchair</a> @geeg_def <a target="_blank" title="♬ original sound - briscalesse" href="https://www.tiktok.com/music/original-sound-6964887752068549382">♬ original sound - briscalesse</a> </section> </blockquote> Delta apologized for the incident, <a href="https://www.insider.com/viral-tiktok-woman-defeated-when-delta-airlines-broke-wheelchair-2021-5">telling Insider in a statement</a> that they were working with DeFiebre to repair her wheelchair and were conducting a full investigation.Cory Lee, founder of the Webby Award-winning accessible travel blog <a href="https://curbfreewithcorylee.com/">Curb Free with Cory Lee</a>, has traveled to 37 countries and all seven continents, but he says his $35,000 wheelchair comes back damaged after about 25% of his flights. The day Insider reached out, in fact, he said he <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CQro-xILxl8/">found his wheelchair's right armrest and operating joystick broken and dragging on the ground</a> after a Delta flight home from a trip to the Adirondacks."We knew within 10 seconds of seeing the chair that it was totally damaged and not going to be working," Lee said. "We used duct tape to tape the armrest to the chair, and that's still kind of holding it in place. But the joystick keeps flipping a little bit, so it's not the easiest to drive with it like this. And it is hurting my independence today, a lot, because it's not easy for me to move around as it should be. I'm still dealing with the effects of it."<div type="image" title="Cory Lee, a wheelchair user, on a nature trail in the Adirondacks." height="2163" width="2885" msid="84249888" hostid="261"></div>Lee said Delta apologized and would cover the cost, but had no way of knowing how long the repairs would take."It could be a few days. It could be a few weeks. And in some cases I've heard from other wheelchair users, it could even be a few months," he said. (Delta ended up sending a repair person to Lee's home nine days later.) A Delta representative told Insider: "We consider a wheelchair as an extension of a person and understand that any mishandling of this mobility device directly impacts their daily living. We are affirmatively working with the customer to make things right. We're sorry for this customer's experience. We are proactively working with our Advisory Board on Disability and our cross divisional operations teams to continuously improve the travel experience for our customers with <keyword id="54772" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Disabilities">disabilities</keyword>."<h2>Activists and politicians are working to make <keyword id="6354691" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="Air-travel">air travel</keyword> more accessible, but progress is slow</h2>From lengthy boarding and deplaning to inaccessible airplane bathrooms, broken wheelchairs are just one of many difficulties disabled passengers face while <keyword id="52392" type="CITY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Flying">flying</keyword>. "Every part of the process is, I would say, significantly more complicated simply because you're a wheelchair user," Ladau said. "And I think that much of this could be avoided if they would actually make progress on allowing wheelchair users to sit in their wheelchairs on the airplane."Michele Campanelli-Erwin is working towards this goal as the president and founder of <a href="https://www.allwheelsup.org/">All Wheels Up</a>, the only organization crash-testing wheelchairs and wheelchair tie-downs for commercial flight.Aviation standards <a href="https://thepointsguy.com/guide/airline-seating-evolution/">require airplane seats to withstand forces of 16 Gs</a>, or 16 times the force of gravity. Wheelchairs and wheelchair-restraint systems in cars, buses, and trains exceed that standard, but Campanelli-Erwin says they aren't allowed on planes because the aviation industry has not invested funds in testing and certifying wheelchairs for air travel.<div type="image" title="A wheelchair crash test conducted by All Wheels Up." height="1038" width="1692" msid="84249890" hostid="261"></div>"We're funded $25 at a time from every wheelchair user who wants to see this happen," she said. "Airlines aren't out to purposely damage someone's wheelchair, but they certainly like to stay within the box that they're given."All Wheels Up funded the first wheelchair crash test in 2016 and brought the findings to Congress, who paid the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to <a href="https://www.nationalacademies.org/our-work/committee-for-a-study-on-the-feasibility-of-wheelchair-restraint-systems-in-passenger-aircraft">conduct a feasibility study</a> for in-cabin wheelchair restraint systems. The results, which will determine the future of this research, are due in August.In March, Sen. Tammy Baldwin and Rep. Jim Langevin introduced the <a href="https://www.baldwin.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/Air%20Carrier%20Access%20Amendments%20Act%20117th-%20One%20Pager.pdf">Air Carrier Access Amendments Act of 2021</a>, which includes legislation to ensure "<a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/senate-bill/642/text">proper stowage of assistive devices in the cargo hold to prevent damage.</a>" It would also require the Department of Transportation to establish civil penalties for violations, establish a private right of action for plaintiffs, and require new airplane designs to improve the accessibility of seats and bathrooms.Advocates like Burcaw, Ladau, and Lee hope they'll eventually be able to roll onboard an airplane without leaving their wheelchairs and risking damage to their devices - or themselves."It will take time and money to make these conversions and to develop the protocol, but the work needs to begin," Burcaw said. "It's not an unsolvable problem, but the powers that be need to want to solve it."

Airlines break thousands of wheelchairs per year, leaving disabled passengers stranded. Activists and politicians are fighting for change.

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/57a9e801ce38f2e3058b5808-845/screen shot 2016-08-09 at 10.25.03 am.png" alt="back to the future flying car" data-mce-source="YouTube/MovieClips" data-link="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCjsUxbNmIs" /><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCjsUxbNmIs">YouTube/MovieClips</a></div></div></div>Flying cars may not just be a figment of "Back to the Future."Peter Diamandis, a board member of Hyperloop One, told Business Insider that personal forms of flying <keyword id="34991" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="transportation">transportation</keyword> - whether that be flying cars or personal drones - will be a reality in select places in just five years."I think we'll see a lot of demos happening in the next two or three years," he said. "And I think we'll see, within five years, we'll start to see them in specific places. We'll start to hear a lot about it in the fall."There is some credence to Diamandis' vision. Larry Page, a co-founder of Google who is now CEO of its parent company, has <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/google-cofounder-larry-page-funding-owns-flying-car-companies-zee-aero-kitty-hawk-2016-6" target="_blank">secretly invested</a> more than $100 million to develop flying cars. Page reportedly owns flying car start-up Zee.Aero while reportedly funding another start-up called Kitty Hawk.<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/57a9ed03db5ce94b088b585d-2000/terrafugia_tf-x_rendering_39.jpg" alt="terrafugia tfx flying car" data-mce-source="Terrafugia" />Terrafugia</div></div></div><a href="http://www.techinsider.io/terrafugia-could-have-flying-car-ready-in-2025-2016-2" target="_blank">Terrafugia</a> is another flying car start-up attempting to have the technology ready by 2025.Diamandis said that flying transportation systems will fundamentally change how we commute. People could live farther away from the city they work in and opt to take a personal drone to a select landing location. A driverless car could then pick them up and drive them to their final location."Imagine if there's a dozen ports or buildings," he said. "You'll fly from New Jersey to a rooftop on 5th [avenue] and there will be an autonomous car waiting to take you to your final location. It's new routing capability for humans."Carl Dietrich, co-founder of Terrafugia, previously <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/terrafugia-could-have-flying-car-ready-in-2025-2016-2" target="_blank">told Tech Insider</a> that he could see landing areas for flying cars being built on private land or local shopping plazas. He said they would need to be about the size of a tennis court.What will truly determine whether flying cars become a reality is the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). That future will become clearer when the FAA finalizes it Reform and Reauthorization Act, a set of safety regulations for unmanned aerial vehicles, Dietrich said at the time."We're going to have thousands and millions of flying drones in corridors, and then we'll also see people carrying," Diamandis said. "You know, I think it's an inevitability." <div class="margin-top"> <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/future-concept-car-design-giant-wheel-2016-6">Future cars could look like one giant wheel</a></h3> <div> <div> <script src="http://player.ooyala.com/v3/6e12e8b3387a44daacfb73afba25a76e"></script> <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="hocGg1NDE61H89rJb3lpC8TQcDIEtAaP" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div> <script> if (typeof RunFunctions === 'undefined') { var RunFunctions = []; } RunFunctions.push(function() { var ooyalapopvideo = OO.Player.create('ooyalaplayer_popvideo', 'hocGg1NDE61H89rJb3lpC8TQcDIEtAaP',{ autoplay: 'false' }); }); </script> <noscript><div>Please enable Javascript to watch this video</div></noscript></div> </div> <script>(function() { function createPlayer() { OO.ready(function() { RunFunctions.forEach(function(ooyalaFunction) { ooyalaFunction(); }); RunFunctions = [];}); } createPlayer(); }()); </script> </div>

Flying cars could become a reality in just 5 years

Lawmakers are fighting a space battle on Capitol Hill over SpaceX and its biggest competitor

<img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/59371606d508f8e6098b459f-911/air traffic controller airport control.jpg" alt="Air traffic controller airport control" /><a href="http://www.gettyimages.com/license/143378485">Andreas Rentz/Getty Images</a>President Trump has proposed a plan to privatize the US's air-traffic-control system.<ul><li>President Trump has proposed a plan to privatize the US's air-traffic-control system.</li><li>Proponents of privatization tout costs savings.</li><li>Opponents argue privatization would increase costs and jeopardize access to services for smaller communities.</li><li>Experts say modernizing air-traffic control (ATC) won't completely solve delays and congestion.</li></ul>On Monday, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/trump-privatize-air-traffic-control-plan-2017-6" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">President Trump announced his plan to modernize America's air-traffic-control system</a>."We're proposing reduced wait times, increased route efficiency, and far fewer delays," the president said. "Our plan will get you where you need to go quickly, more reliably, more affordably, and, yes, for the first time in a long time, on time."In fact, the president went as far as calling it an "air-travel revolution."The White House plan will use the Aviation Innovation, Reform, and Reauthorization Act (AIRR) introduced in 2016 by the Republication Congressman Bill Schuster as its foundation.The centerpiece of the AIRR calls for control of the country's air-traffic network to be transferred from the Federal Aviation Administration to one or more not-for-profit private entities.<h2>The pros of going private</h2>The privatization of America's air-traffic-control network has long been a hot-button issue. The White House argues that its plan would allow the FAA to focus on aviation safety while freeing the ATC-upgrade process from the burden of bureaucracy.Privatization is expected to be achieved through the use of <a href="https://www.transportation.gov/buildamerica/programs-services/p3/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">public-private partnerships (P3s)</a>, a contract-based business arrangement in which the public and private sectors cooperate to deliver a service or infrastructure project.The advantages of a P3 are twofold. First, proponents say they can reduce the cost of a project by streamlining bureaucracy. Second, P3s are more effective in that they contract specialists whose expertise is focused on a particular subject area.<img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/59359a3179474c21008b6b57-1809/2017-06-05t164419z1lynxmped54199rtroptp4usa-trump.jpg" alt="Trump air traffic privatization" />REUTERS/Jonathan ErnstIn addition, the cost of the modernization project is expected to be shouldered by fees generated from the parties that use the ATC system.Privatization's biggest proponents are the country's major airlines represented by the trade organization Airlines For America (A4A). In a statement, the group called Trump's announcement "bold leadership in prioritizing the modernization of our nation's air traffic control (ATC) infrastructure.""This is a really important issue for the entire country," Hawaiian Airlines Chief Commercial Officer Peter Ingram told Business Insider."If you look at service between the Eastern US and the West Coast, flight times today are much longer than they were 20 or 30 years ago, and it's not because the airplanes are moving slower - it's because we confine ourselves to a fraction of the available airspace because we simply don't have the ATC infrastructure to be able to support taking full advantage of that."In addition, Hawaiian, a member of A4A, and other carriers are limited to a handful of lanes across the Pacific, which often results in less efficient routing that causes more pollution and higher costs, Ingram said.According to A4A - which includes American, United, JetBlue, Alaska, and Southwest Airlines - antiquated air-traffic technology has contributed to delays that cost the economy as much as $25 billion last year. As a result, the airlines are standing behind the president's promises to expedite the modernization of the country's ATC systems by updating satellite-based technology through privatization.<img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5938296db1bd561f018b4a91-2400/hawaiian airlines airbus.jpg" alt="Hawaiian Airlines Airbus A330" />APA Hawaiian Airlines Airbus A330."It's not for lack of technology or lack of will to get [modernization] done," Ingram said. "We, fundamentally, as an industry believe that in the confines of the annual government budgetary system, we are not going to be able to make the necessary investment to fix the system even if there is the will to spend the money."<h2>The cons</h2>Opponents of the plan believe the privatization of the country's ATC systems is fraught with risk and negative side effects.The Alliance for Aviation Across America argues that privatization would hurt the nation's smaller communities. In fact, the organization - which represents private operators, small business, and small airports - called Trump's plan a "power grab" by the nation's big airlines."We have 5,000 airports around the country of which 3,000 are public-use airports, but the majority of the commercial traffic, about 70%, goes through roughly 30 airports," Selena Shilad, the alliance's executive director, told Business Insider."So there are a lot of communities who are served by smaller airports or by municipal airports where the airlines will have no incentive to concentrate their resources."According to Shilad, the airlines have long sought control of the ATC network to funnel resources to the markets that they care about the most. The alliance believes that the user-fee-based system supported by A4A would be detrimental to the smaller operators that dot the American landscape."Our infrastructure that connects large and small communities alike are crucial parts of the economy and access for communities of all sizes is an important part of keeping that economic engine going," Shilad said.At least one major airline agrees with Shilad.In a 2016 report, <a href="http://news.delta.com/sites/default/files/The%20Costs%20of%20Privatizing%20Air%20Traffic%20Control_0.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Delta, the second-largest airline in the world</a> and a former A4A member, lends credence to the alliance's concerns."The current FAA system helps support equal service at both large urban airports and smaller rural ones, but privatization could cause smaller airports to limit service or shut down," the Delta report said. "As a result, rural residents could be forced to drive to urban areas to access the same airline service they currently enjoy close to home."In addition, Delta questions whether it is prudent to privatize ATC when the FAA-managed system has evolved into the world's largest networks - and one of its safest.<img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/57bb3cf0ce38f2db088b822f-2223/8213198558_a8eac6ec03_o.jpg" alt="Delta Boeing 777 200LR Aeromexico" /><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/bribri/8213198558/in/photolist-J2ogVr-H6Asv2-7f7rp7-9YfdoF-H5FkHE-HdZF5p-He21rD-7vBPaM-7vFD55-GiwZpS-Kk1f3M-dvLMMG">Flickr/BriYYZ</a>A Delta Boeing 777 at LAX.The Atlanta-based airline also questions whether privatization would lead to lower costs. According to the report, ATC fees in Canada and the UK increased 59% and 30% after the countries privatized their respective ATC systems.During that same period, ATC fees in the US increased just 6%. The Delta report concludes that operational costs in the US will increase by 20% to 29% during the first 10 years of a privatized ATC network.As for the Trump administration's plan, the airline wrote in a statement to Business Insider:"Delta looks forward to working with the Administration and Congress on our shared goal of modernizing U.S. airspace. We remain committed to working together to identify ways to reduce delays, improve efficiency, and enhance airline performance while maximizing safety and minimizing costs."<h2>But wait - there's more</h2>As the debate over ATC privatization rages on, it should be noted that a modernized ATC system is not the silver bullet some make it out to be. It will not cure all that ails America's aviation network."Even the most sophisticated ATC system is not going to solve the chronic delay problem that plagues much of the country," <a href="http://www.askthepilot.com/express-blog/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">author, commercial airline pilot, and industry commentator Patrick Smith</a> wrote in a blog post. "The problem won't be solved until two things happen: First, airlines need to be better rationalize their schedules and, second, we need more runways and larger, better-designed airports."Hawaiian's Ingram agrees."I think [ATC and airport infrastructure] are both big issues," he said. "There are airports throughout the US where the infrastructure is no longer adequate or we could use more capacity because things are very constrained."Regardless of what happens, the fact that there is an open acknowledgment that America's air-traffic-control system and aviation infrastructure are in dire need of improvement is a step in the right direction. <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/why-plane-seats-dont-line-up-with-windows-travel-airlines-manufacturers-legroom-2017-5">Here's why some plane seats don't line up with the windows</a></h3> Please enable Javascript to watch this video

You Searched For "faa reauthorization act" and got 12 results

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