UNITED STATES NEW PERFORMANCE-BASED AIR TRAFFIC ORGANISATION WELCOMED BY JEANNIOT

“President Clinton’s signature, putting into effect the DOT/FAA plan for reorganising the air traffic services of the United States is a welcome move,” said IATA Director General Pierre J.Jeanniot.

Jeanniot was referring to the presidential order signed on 7 December, setting up a performance-based organisation within the FAA, to be called the Air Traffic Organisation (ATO). Under the plan, some 37,000 FAA employees would form the ATO – which will oversee day-to-day air traffic services, as determined by the FAA administrator.

A chief operating officer will set the ATO’s goals and will report directly to the FAA administrator. However, oversight of the ATO in terms of administration, management, conduct, direction and supervision of the ATC system, will come from the Air Traffic Control Subcommittee of the Aviation Management Advisory Committee.

“What the United States is doing is to make that essential division between regulation and service provision – a division which is necessary if the world’s ATC services are to provide the service which the airlines and their customers need and deserve,” continued Jeanniot.

“Whilst safety margins have been maintained, the problem with Air Traffic Control provision is that, for too long, the quantity and quality of service has lagged behind demand. It is our hope that the ATO will be business driven and customer oriented. Early and regular consultation with the prime users of the ATC system – the airlines – is essential to ensure that the new service responds to their requirements.”

“Coming as it does, hard on the heels of the positive changes to the governance of the UK National Air Traffic Services, the creation of the United States ATO is a very good move. We look forward to the early development of other examples around the world, but particularly in Europe.”