GBTA Commends Passage of H.R. 2997, the 21st Century Aviation Innovation, Reform, and Reauthorization Act (AIRR Act)

Alexandria, VA (June 27, 2017) – Today, following nearly 10 hours of consideration, the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee passed H.R. 2997, the 21st Century Aviation Innovation, Reform, and Reauthorization Act (AIRR Act). The AIRR Act would reauthorize the Federal Aviation (FAA) Administration and move operations of air traffic control into an independent, not-for-profit organization. The bill also includes new consumer protections for the business traveler flying on commercial airlines.

“We applaud the Committee for completing its work on the AIRR Act,” said Michael W. McCormick, GBTA executive director and COO. “Modernization of our nation’s air traffic control system is a key priority for the business travel community. The AIRR Act would provide safer, more efficient and cheaper air travel thereby further leveraging the significant impact that business travel has on the economy. I want to remind members of the Committee that passenger taxes and fees add to the cost of doing business for the business traveler. If there are better ways to use those tax dollars or eliminate the need to collect them, Congress should not pass on that opportunity.”

Earlier this month, GBTA joined Airlines for America and Travelers United in requesting that the House Ways and Means Committee complete its work and “shift the burden of paying for the ATC system away from traveling consumers, by reducing passenger taxes, and instead transferring the funding onus directly onto airlines.”

CONTACT: Colleen Gallagher line, +1 703-236-1133, cgallagher@gbta.org Marianne Varkiani, +1 703-236-1164, mvarkiani@gbta.org

About the Global Business Travel Association
The Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) is the world’s premier business travel and meetings trade organization headquartered in the Washington, D.C. area with operations on six continents. GBTA’s 9,000-plus members manage more than $345 billion of global business travel and meetings expenditures annually. GBTA and the GBTA Foundation deliver world-class education, events, research, advocacy and media to a growing global network of more than 28,000 travel professionals and 125,000 active contacts. To learn how business travel drives lasting business growth, gbta.org