US House approves extension of FAA programmes and funding

US House approved (20-Jul-2011) an extension of FAA programmes and funding. The legislation now goes to the Senate, which has threatened to shut down FAA programmes in order to protect air travel subsidies in excess of USD1000 per passenger. Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman John Mica said: "This extension adopts unanimously passed Senate language and stops three airports from receiving passenger ticket subsidies in excess of USD1000. Every ticket at the Ely, Nevada Airport is underwritten USD3720 by federal taxpayers." Some non-safety critical FAA programmes will no longer be funded after 22-Jul-2011 if the Senate fails to act on this extension. [more]