IATA blasts Bush

Johannesburg, 29 Nov 2007

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has blasted the US White House for procrastinating on the introduction of technology that can take the hassle factor out of air travel, and for letting fear rather than fact dictate security checks.

US regulations and mandated security checks affect the entire global air transportation system.

IATA director-general Giovanni Bisignani said America`s latest answer to growing congestion at its airports is higher taxes. "The White House is considering peak pricing at New York JFK [John F Kennedy] airport as a band-aid for delays.

"Congestion pricing has never worked effectively for air transport anywhere in the world, so it is foolhardy to believe that it will work in New York."

Instead, he said, the US government should implement the IATA worldwide scheduling guidelines and immediately implement operational and infrastructure improvements. "There`s already a list of at least 75 projects that could begin tomorrow and we can`t wait any longer," Bisignani said in a speech to the Aero Club of Washington.

The IATA DG said the global air regulator had already proposed the implementation of required navigation performance technology at JFK. This would allow all four of the airport`s runways to be used at the same time.

Better taxiways and modern ground surveillance will allow for improved operations on airport aprons, while next-generation air traffic management technology will allow more aircraft to fly in closer proximity to each other.

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Bisignani noted that the aviation industry is now paying $5.9 billion a year to comply with a growing list of security regulations.

"I see more hassle than value, so let`s be open and transparent with the problems and the solutions. Too many knee-jerk security enhancement decisions are based on fear even though the threat hasn`t changed.

"We are wasting limited and precious resources. We must invest in new technology to help security become smarter, faster and easier to manage," Bisignani added.