Reason Foundation

Recent Research and Commentary

Air Traffic Control Reform Newsletter #75

July - August 2010

August 5, 2010

Robert Poole

Tarmac Delay Rule Will Cause Flight Cancellations

April 29, 2010, 8:40pm

Robert Poole

No airline will risk paying a fine of up to $27,500 per passenger. At a typical plane-load of 135 people (on a 150-seat plane), that comes to over $3.7 million per flight. At the typical domestic “yield” of 14 cents per available seat mile, that 150-seat plane on a typical (2008 average) trip of 873 miles brings the airline about $18,000—for the entire flight. And that’s gross, not net, revenue. So any flight that comes close to two or two and a half hours on the taxiway is going to turn around and go back to the terminal rather than risk that outrageous fine.

When it does, a long list of problems will ensue.

Volcano Eruption and Air Travel's Economic Importance

April 23, 2010, 1:30pm

Robert Poole

Nearly one-third, by value, of all world trade moves by air. Components for BMW’s South Carolina auto plant arrive daily by air. Summer fruit from Chile reaches our supermarkets all winter by air and flowers from Kenya reach the whole world by air via The Netherlands. Global tourism, made possible by aviation, is by some measures the world’s largest industry.

Airlines lost nearly $2 billion in revenues from the European shutdown, European Union airports an additional $400 million, and air traffic control providers another $160 million.

All had a stake in reopening airspace as rapidly as possible — but they were stymied by confused and panicked government policymakers. Officials relied on generic computer models rather than sending up test planes from day one to more precisely map the ash cloud in real time.

Air Traffic Control Reform Newsletter #71

Air traffic growth, real-time black box data and GPS

March 29, 2010

Robert Poole

In this issue:

• FAA Forecast scales back ATC growth forecast
• RACON consolidation problems
• Federal aid for airline equipage?
• Real-time black box data
• Best-equipped/best-served in Canada
• GPS vulnerability--still
• News Notes
• Quotable Quotes

 

Air Traffic Control Reform Newsletter #70

Paying for air traffic during economic downturns and user fees

February 28, 2010

Robert Poole

 In this issue:

• Low-Cost ADS-B Offers Hope for Small Plane Pilots
• Paying for ATC During Economic Downturns
• The Administration's ATC User Fee Decision
• Major Facility Consolidation in the UK
• Reforming Spain's High-Cost ATC Provider
• Will "Best-Equipped, Best-Served" Fly?
• News Notes
• Quotable Quotes

Air Travel Delays Don't Have to Be Part of the Holidays

December 23, 2009, 2:50pm

Robert Poole

During the 1990s, other countries began reforming the way their ATC systems were governed and funded. The common diagnosis was that ATC is essentially a high-tech service business that doesn't really fit the model of a government department that depends on annual tax funding and micromanagement.

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