ADTRAV Travel Management
FAA Computer Woes, More Than a "Glitch"
For a second time in 15 months, a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) computer glitch caused a multitude of flight cancellations and delays stranding thousands of travelers across the U.S. While systems were up and running again in 5 hours, the problem is a prime example of the need to update our country’s aviation system which is currently utilizing the same technology in many areas as it was nearly 50 years ago.
Improvements to the outdated system hinge on FAA funding. This funding, through the FAA Reauthorization Act, has been on hold for three years, forcing the FAA to operate on a string of short-term extensions, the last of which expires at the end of this year. The House passed a multi-year reauthorization measure in May but it has yet to move through the Senate. Most funding for the FAA is based on fees rather than appropriations so delays in the appropriations process are rare, however the technology and resources needed to upgrade the system, and differences of opinion on what and how to carry out the upgrades have delayed the legislative process.
At the helm of discussions is the FAA’s planned transition to the Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) which would take the FAA from a radar-based air traffic system to a satellite based system. The NextGen system will improve safety while allowing aircraft to fly more closely together on more direct routes. This will reduce time spent in traffic or delayed at airports and also provide benefits for the environment and the economy through reductions in carbon emissions, fuel consumption and noise.
Support for the FAA Reauthorization Act and the NextGen system is widespread in the commercial aviation industry and has received bipartisan support in both the House and the Senate. Commercial aviation drives over $1 trillion in economic activity annually and it provides over 11 million domestic jobs. The current system threatens this industry which in turn affects the entire nation’s economic well-being.
ADTRAV Travel Management joins the National Business Travel Association (NBTA), the Air Transport Association of America and other industries ranging from the United Postal Service (UPS) to the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, in urging Congress to pass the FAA Reauthorization Act and to include significant funding for NextGen to speed up the implementation of this critical tool for traveler safety and economic recovery.