In the same breath, U.S. airlines have both praised and criticized President Barack Obama's proposed 2011 budget, their trade association, the Washington, D.C.-based Air Transport Association of America (ATA), announced this week.
In a Feb. 1 review of the White House 2011 budget proposal, ATA applauded the president for proposing an increase in federal funding for air travel security, but decried his suggestion for raising passenger security fees in order to pay for it.
"While we are pleased that the federal government is supporting significantly increased federal funding for Advanced Information Technology (AIT) machines and Federal Air Marshals (FAMs), we are disappointed that they again proposed increasing passenger security fees by an additional $7 billion from 2012 through 2015," ATA President and CEO James C. May said in a statement.
In its 2011 budget proposal, released Monday, the White House calls for increasing passenger security fees by $1 per year for three years starting in 2012. At the same time, however, it avoids an increase in customs, immigration and agriculture inspection fees—a move lauded by May, who said it's a sign that ATA's "'do no harm' message is resonating."
According to the White House budget proposal, fee increases will help the government answer a request by the Department of Homeland Security for $734 million to support the deployment of up to 1,000 new AIT screening machines at airport checkpoints, as well as new explosive detection equipment for baggage screening.
For more information about President Obama's proposed 2011 budget, visit the FY2011 budget Web site at
www.whitehouse.gov/omb/budget.