The Obama effect: what next for US aviation?

The airport industry worldwide is keeping a close watch on the transition to the newly elected US presidential administration of Barack Obama for signs of the changes he and his Democratic allies in Congress will bring to civil aviation and airport security policy

The Obama transition team has yet to detail his plans for aviation policy and a top transportation adviser to his campaign, Mort Downey, did not return a phone call for comment. During his campaign, however, Obama voiced support for increased funding for airport security and called for the hiring of additional airport screeners. He was highly critical of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), blaming the agency for ignoring safety guidelines on commercial jets and for allowing poor relations with air traffic controllers to shrink the workforce at a time when air traffic is increasing. The then Senator Obama called for more regulation of the industry along with new funding to increase air services to small and medium-sized communities in the United States.

Industry officials are hoping Obama makes good on his promise of an infusion of USD60 billion in funding for infrastructure enhancements, which he listed as a priority during his presidential campaign. That could mean construction of new runways and other improvements for US airports that have been plagued by delays and crowded airspace.

A first test of the new political alignment in Washington could come with the debate over a USD68 billion bill to fund the FAA. The bill includes critical money for the NextGen modernisation programme, which aims to move the US air traffic management network from a reliance on ground-based radar to satellite technology. Current funding for the FAA runs out in March 2009, so Congress is expected to take up the re-authorisation bill quickly after its new session begins in January.

The Democrat chairman of the House of Representatives subcommittee on aviation, Jerry Costello, told Jane's he would seek passage of the bill "as soon as we can" once Congress reconvenes. The Bush administration had opposed the legislation as too costly. "The prospects of passage have increased under a new Obama administration and with new members of the Democratic majority in the Senate," Costello added. In addition to historic funding levels for FAA operations and airport improvement, the bill also provides for increases in fuel taxes and allows carriers to increase the passenger facility charge (a user fee that is set by airports and airlines under the supervision of the FAA) to USD7 from USD4.50.

Image: The US airport community is waiting to see how President-Elect Barack Obama will change civil aviation policy. (US Congress) 414 of 758 words