Tuesday, November 21, 2023

Should they raise user taxes on air travel to improve US air traffic control system? I would guess yes.

On the news it says the mass family time Thanksgiving travel weekend is starting with record air travel predicted. As usual I plan to stay local. There are some community events within easy walking or biking distance from me. I can meet new people and so forth.

As for the national issue, they say our air traffic system is stretched nearly to the breaking point. As for the need for more money, a simple fix is to increase the user taxes that airlines and the flying public pay to run and expand the system. That could cut down on the growing demand addressing the problem that way. It could also help fund the staff and equipment needed to upgrade the system.

Cutting demand does mean disruption to some plans and local economies so it wouldn't happen without it's critics, but seems like the best way to go.

I've wondered how much the government subsidizes air travel, but tried to look that up and my eyes gloss over. Yes, it's complicated. I think most of the system is paid for by user taxes that airlines and the flying public pay, but some is subsidized; especially smaller airports to prop up more rural parts of the country where there is less "economy of scale."

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