Congestion Pricing Threatens Regionals

Nearly four months after DOT announced in December that it intended to impose congestion pricing rules, the Regional Airline Association said the proposal threatens air service at more than 100 airports and countless other communities. Rather than threaten air service, DOT should be concentrating on fixing the root cause and focus its resources on fixing the nation’s aging and inadequate air traffic control and airport infrastructure, not on reducing or virtually eliminating the flights offered by regional airlines that support the citizens and businesses in these communities.
The resulting dramatic fare increases would compound the rising fuel costs which have complicated the fortunes of all airlines and led to the wholesale withdrawal of airlines willing to serve small communities especially those in the essential air service program. Medium and small communities have already lost a great deal of air service over the last decade as rising operational costs brought on by the single-level-of-safety rule forced many airlines to abandon points that had been profitably served. For a complete report see the next issue of Regional Aviation News.