NATCA SUPPORTS DEPENDABLE AIR SERVICE ACT – (4/24/2013)

CONTACT: Doug Church, 301-346-8245

Three days of furloughs for the nation’s air traffic controllers have proven to be just as disruptive as anticipated. Even with relatively clear weather, there have been more than 5,000 flight delays over the past three days (according to FAA data), double the amount for the same time frame one year ago. It’s now clear that these furloughs are needlessly disrupting air travel and should be rolled back at once. The National Air Traffic Controllers Association applauds the bipartisan efforts of Senators John Hoeven (R-ND), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), and others who have today introduced the Dependable Air Service Act.

This legislation will give the FAA the transfer authority they need to halt the furloughs of air traffic controllers and allow the world’s safest, most efficient airspace system to once again operate at full capacity. We urge swift approval of this measure so that controllers can return to work full time and passengers and carriers can operate without the threat of unnecessary delays.