Airlines, Boeing push Congress for $20B to modernize air traffic control
The sun sets behind the old LAX air traffic control tower. (Photo by Kevin Carter/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON - The U.S. aviation industry is urging Congress to approve an additional $20 billion to continue a sweeping modernization of the nation's aging air traffic control system, arguing the investment is critical to improving safety and reducing chronic flight delays, Reuters reported.
Dig deeper:
A coalition representing airlines, aircraft manufacturers, airports, labor unions and other aviation groups said the funding would be used to replace or upgrade hundreds of aging air traffic control facilities, equip controllers with state-of-the-art technology and develop advanced airspace management tools designed to improve efficiency and reduce disruptions.
RELATED: Delta says airline fares likely to remain elevated even if fuel prices fall
The backstory:
Congress approved $12.5 billion last year to begin replacing outdated air traffic control technology and address staffing shortages at FAA facilities. Much of the newly requested funding would go toward developing software intended to make the nation's airspace more efficient.
What they're saying:
"Our nation’s aviation system is a key national asset, but it is under increasing strain," the coalition wrote in a letter signed by Boeing, Airbus, Airlines for America, the U.S. Travel Association, the Air Line Pilots Association and dozens of other organizations.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy told Reuters in April that he was seeking $10 billion for the next phase of the modernization effort after the Department of Transportation initially requested about $19 billion from Congress. Duffy said he hoped lawmakers would approve the remaining funding at a later date.
Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kan., said Wednesday that Congress could allocate additional funding for the project in a spending bill later this year.
Big picture view:
The push for more funding comes after a series of failures involving the FAA's aging telecommunications network, including major outages that disrupted air traffic at Newark Liberty International Airport last year. The initial $12.5 billion investment followed years of complaints over airport congestion, flight delays and staffing shortages at air traffic control towers.
RELATED: Freedom Fuel gas station locations open as Trump pushes for lower energy costs
A 2023 report found the FAA's communications infrastructure had become so outdated that replacement parts were no longer available for many systems. A separate report concluded that 51 of the FAA's 138 air traffic control telecommunications systems were considered unsustainable.
What's next:
The FAA has said that by the end of 2028 it plans to install 5,000 new high-speed network connections using fiber, satellite and wireless technologies, deploy 27,000 new radios and add 612 state-of-the-art radar systems as part of the modernization effort. Reuters contributed to this report.
The Source: Reuters contributed to this report. Additional information came from a coalition of aviation organizations, including Boeing, Airbus, Airlines for America, the U.S. Travel Association and the Air Line Pilots Association, as well as statements from Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and Sen. Jerry Moran. This story was reported from Los Angeles.