Air Transport Association urges "constructive, forward-thinking" FAA reauthorisation

Air Transport Association of America (ATA) issued (25-Mar-2010) a statement in response to the US House of Representatives Transportation and Infrastructure Committee vote on the FAA Extension Act of 2010 (H.R. 4853) with President and CEO, James May, claiming "unlike the Senate FAA Reauthorization bill, H.R. 4853 would be a step in the wrong direction". May also states the aviation industry needs a legislation that:

• Provides leadership and direction to accelerate the deployment of our nation's NextGen air traffic management system;
• Encourages, rather than impedes, the expansion of international air service. [more]

Meanwhile, the ATA reportedly spent USD1.44 million in 4Q2009 lobbying Federal officials on passenger rights, taxes and other issues such as proposals to tax users of fuel that create greenhouse gas emissions (AP, 25-Mar-2010).