Planes packed, flights late--how to fix? How about a stiff dose of "reform"?
The nation's air-travel network is in bad, bad shape. Despite decades of taxpayer subsidies that run into the billions, it's doing a lousy job serving passengers. U.S. News just compiled and released a list of the nation's "most miserable airports." Tops on the list, which is to say worst: Detroit (DTW), Chicago O'Hare (ORD), Charlotte (CLT) and JFK.
At Chicago O'Hare, for example, 42% of the flights are late.
What do these big airports have in common? They are all big, big money losers. Each is heavily subsidized by federal tax dollars. Fortunately, certain transportation experts know exactly how to relieve the misery:
1. Cut their subsidy. As the so-called experts have told us over and over, subsidy = inefficiency. If you want an O'Hare that will run more than 57% of its flights on time, the very first thing to do is to end the federal subsidy. Force the authority to find efficiencies by casting off the bloat and shrinking to its most productive and profitable size.
2. Establish an "Airport Reform Council" to monitor the airport on its "glidepath to self-sufficiency." And if it's still losing money,
3. Bring in private operators to run it. Like, for example, BAA, which has "full operating responsibility" for the Indianapolis airport (way down the list at No. 29).
Unthinkable? Not exactly. Influential people like Rep. John Mica of Florida have been proposing these kinds of solutions for years. Thing is, though, they're only for Amtrak.
At Chicago O'Hare, for example, 42% of the flights are late.
What do these big airports have in common? They are all big, big money losers. Each is heavily subsidized by federal tax dollars. Fortunately, certain transportation experts know exactly how to relieve the misery:
1. Cut their subsidy. As the so-called experts have told us over and over, subsidy = inefficiency. If you want an O'Hare that will run more than 57% of its flights on time, the very first thing to do is to end the federal subsidy. Force the authority to find efficiencies by casting off the bloat and shrinking to its most productive and profitable size.
2. Establish an "Airport Reform Council" to monitor the airport on its "glidepath to self-sufficiency." And if it's still losing money,
3. Bring in private operators to run it. Like, for example, BAA, which has "full operating responsibility" for the Indianapolis airport (way down the list at No. 29).
Unthinkable? Not exactly. Influential people like Rep. John Mica of Florida have been proposing these kinds of solutions for years. Thing is, though, they're only for Amtrak.
posted by conductor at 9:33 AM
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