Airline CEOs from major American carriers have united to endorse Transportation Secretary Sean P Duffy’s plans aimed at revamping the US air traffic control system, reflecting a rare coalition that includes various stakeholders.
The proposed overhaul focuses on four key infrastructure components: communication, surveillance, automation, and facilities, which have suffered from long-standing neglect.
The initiative is set to cost approximately USD30 billion and will take up to four years, aiming to replace outdated systems with modern technology across 4,600 sites.
Key updates will involve significant enhancements like new telecommunications technologies, new radars, and increased safety measures at airports through initiatives like the Surface Awareness Initiative.
Lead airline CEOs have expressed strong support for the proposal, signalling a transformative moment for the aviation industry as they seek improvements to the current air traffic infrastructure.
Transportation Secretary Sean P Duffy shared: “We shop on eBay to replace parts, to fix our equipment in the system that keeps you safe, keeps your family safe. Decades of neglect have left us with an outdated system that is showing its age.”
Southwest CEO Bob Jordan shared “I applaud Secretary Duffy for leading the development of a strong and urgently needed plan to modernise our nation’s ATC system,”
Delta CEO Ed Bastian shared: “This is a unique and once in a lifetime opportunity for the aviation industry.”
American Airlines CEO Robert Isom shared: “I’ve been in the airline business a long time, and we’ve known for decades that our ATC system needs to be modernised,”
