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Recent Research and Commentary

Airport Policy and Security Newsletter #76

Trusted Traveler expansion, Australia's light-handed airport regulation, spotlight on outsourced airport screening, Spain's ghost airports, fixing TSA's broken technology procurements

February 8, 2012

Robert Poole

In this issue:

• Trusted Traveler expansion
• Australia’s light-handed airport regulation
• Outsourced airport screening in the spotlight
• Spain’s ghost airports
• Fixing TSA’s broken technology procurements
• Upcoming Conferences
• News Notes
• Quotable Quotes

Airport Policy and Security Newsletter #75

Secondary barriers more cost-effective than air marshals, EU airlines protest high speed rail subsidies, TSA checked-luggage screening fiasco, taxiing airliners with the engines off

January 10, 2012

Robert Poole

In this issue:

• Secondary barriers more cost-effective than air marshals
• EU airlines protest high-speed rail subsidies
• TSA’s checked-luggage screening fiasco
• Taxiing airliners with the engines off
• News Notes
• Quotable Quote

Airport Policy and Security Newsletter #74

Landmark noise settlement in Ft. Lauderdale, backscatter body scanners under new scrutiny, niche airlines and airports test new business models

December 9, 2011

Robert Poole

In this issue:

• Landmark noise settlement in Ft. Lauderdale
• Backscatter body scanners under new scrutiny
• Europe’s “Better Airports” report--not
• Niche airlines and airports test new business models
• Airport finance Webinar next week
• News Notes
• Quotable Quotes

 

Airport Policy and Security Newsletter #73

Replacing federal airport grants with PFCs, cheering TSA's PreCheck, security theater vs. risk-based approach to cargo screening

November 4, 2011

Robert Poole

In this issue:

• Could PFCs replace federal airport grants?
• Two cheers for TSA’s PreCheck
• Why the rise in runway incursions?
• Cargo screening—security theater vs. risk-based approach
• Can privatization fix Brazil’s airports?
• News Notes
• Quotable Quotes

 

Airport Policy and Security Newsletter #72

Rethinking airport funding, reforming small-airport subsidy program, GAO on tarmac delay rule

October 14, 2011

Robert Poole

In this issue:

• Rethinking U.S. airport funding
• Reforming the small-airport subsidy program
• GAO on the tarmac delay rule
• Return of wayports?
• TSA reauthorization overdue
• News Notes
• Quotable Quotes

 

Comparison of the Essential Air Service Program to Alternative Coach Bus Service

Keeping small communities connected cost-effectively

September 13, 2011

Shirley Ybarra

This study by Dana Lowell, Tom Curry, Lily Hoffman-Andrews, and Lea Reynolds compares the costs and environmental effects of supporting rural mobility using scheduled inter-city coach bus service to current costs to maintain air links under the Essential Air Service (EAS) program. The study, produced jointly by M.J. Bradley & Associates, Reason Foundation, the American Bus Association, Natural Resources Defense Council and Taxpayers for Common Sense, includes 38 EAS communities in the lower 48 states that are within 150 miles of a medium or large hub airport. For the current EAS program, total costs include government subsidies and passenger fares. For the coach bus alternative, total costs include bus operating costs, and the value of passenger time for alternative bus trips that take longer than current EAS-subsidized flights.

For the 38 communities included in the study, current EAS-subsidized flights carry 615,528 one-way passengers annually at a total cost of $131.5 million - an average cost of $427 per passenger round trip. For these routes annual EAS subsidies total $60.8 million - 46% of the cost - and passenger fares total $70.7 million. While some routes require a relatively low subsidy, for others the current subsidy amounts to as much as $1,600 per passenger round trip. This analysis indicates that the same number of scheduled weekly trips between these 38 rural airports and nearby regional hub airports could be provided by coach buses at a total annual operating cost of $33.9 million. Most of the bus trips would take longer than current air flights – if the “cost” to passengers of longer travel time is included it adds an additional $8.0 million to the total cost of the bus alternative.

For the 38 communities studied, total costs for coach bus service average $136 per passenger round trip – this is on average 68% less than the cost of current EAS-subsidized flights. The use of scheduled coach bus service to link these 38 communities to the national air transport system – instead of current EAS-subsidized air service - could save society over $89 million annually. Average savings could be as high as $291 per passenger round trip. Some level of subsidy would likely be required to incentivize coach operators to start new service on most routes, and continuing subsidies might be required on some routes, but projected per passenger bus operating costs on more than half of the routes are lower than current airfares. This indicates that these routes could probably support bus service with no long-term government subsidy; in the long run savings to taxpayers could amount to $50 million or more annually because the cost to operate coach bus service is so much lower than the cost to operate aircraft.

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