By James C. May
USA TODAY

Record airline load factors and the growing number of flights are testimony to the strength of consumer demand for competitively priced air transportation. Airlines are in the business of responding to these market signals to meet the public’s expectations for services. In short, just as anticipated, airline deregulation has produced a variety of airline services and vigorous price competition.

Unfortunately, there are some who would prefer to respond to the challenges of this marketplace success by scaling back consumer benefits.

They would impose fees and regulatory constraints that simply mask the government’s failure to provide the essential air traffic control (ATC) services we all pay for. Adding $50 to a passenger ticket through congestion pricing or reducing service to small communities that rely on regional jet service, they say, is the only solution to market demands. That is the wrong approach.

It is indisputable that demand at the New York area airports is exceptionally strong, and that customer demand is contributing to air traffic delays. The easy solution is, as noted, to slap a congestion price on passengers. The problem with this approach is that it doesn’t fix the problem; it only makes it more expensive to fly. Our response? Fix the problem, don’t hide it.

HOW?

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