NBTA Government Affairs

1
NBTA Government Affairs

• Chicago BTA Education Day
• June 5, 2009
• C. Stewart Verdery, Monument Policy Group
• NBTA Government Affairs Consultant

2
Overview

• NBTA Government Affairs Priorities
• Travel Regulation
• FAA Reauthorization
• Next Generation Air Transportation System
• Other Issues Worth Watching
• Questions and Answers

3
Airline Performance Aviation Congestion

• NBTA believes Congress and the Administration
  should resist micromanagement of airline service,
  but require enhanced reporting so consumers can
  accurately judge airline performance.
• NBTA filed comments with DOT in March regarding
  passenger protection issues
• Final Rule from DOT expected shortly and could
  include recommendations from the Tarmac Delays
  Task Force
• DOT dropped their proposal for slot auctions at
  New York area airports

4
Domestic Registered Traveler (RT)

• RT offered at 21 airports enrollment over
  250,000
• TSA Authorization Bill in the House of
  Representatives
• NBTA supports enhancement of RTs risk management
  and threat assessment protocols
• Initial views of RT by the Obama Administration
  have been positive
• http//www.tsa.dhs.gov/approach/rt/index.shtm

5
Terrorist Watch Lists and Redress

• NBTA supports Congressional passage of redress
  legislation the implementation of Secure Flight
• FAST Redress Act
• Passed the House in February 2009
• Senate has yet to introduce their version of the
  bill
• Secure Flight
• Will require full legal name, gender, and date of
  birth from carriers who will in turn require for
  reservations
• Should decrease watch list false positives

6
Traveler Taxes

• Rental Car taxes
• NBTA has been successful in fending off several
  proposed increases at the state level
• Federal legislation to end discriminatory rental
  car taxes failed to gain traction
• Non-Refundable Airline Ticket Tax Refunds
• Government Accountability Office study request
• GAO study results will be used to urge
  Congressional Action

7
Visa Waiver Program and ESTA

• 8 countries added in 2008
• Further expansion requires US-VISIT Exit
• Exit pilots began on May 28
• TSA at Atlanta
• CBP at Detroit
• Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA)
• Requires VWP travelers to apply online before
  traveling to US
• ESTA is good for 2 years after approval
• Requirement in place as of January 13, 2009
• Strict enforcement delayed
• NBTA supports enforcement flexibility and airport
  enrollment options
• www.cbp.gov/esta

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International Registered Traveler

• NBTA supported the creation and funding of the
  Global Entry Program
• Customs and Border Protection (CBP) mobile
  enrollment first used at NBTA Committee Summit
• Global Entry currently at 7 airports
• Atlanta, Chicago, JFK, LAX, Houston, Miami,
  Washington Dulles
• CBP is waiting for OMB approval before additional
  expansion
• Approved applicants skip immigration processing
• www.globalentry.gov
• In April, CBP launched the first bilateral
  agreement with a foreign government - the
  Netherlands

9
WHTI and Model Ports

• Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative
• On June 1, 2009 WHTI compliant documents became a
  requirement for land and sea entry
• Acceptable forms of documentation include a
  Passport, Trusted Traveler Card (NEXUS, SENTRI,
  or FAST/EXPRES), U.S. Passport Card, or Enhanced
  Drivers License.
• Strict enforcement not yet being practiced
• State Department http//travel.state.gov/travel/c
  bpmc/cbpmc_2223.html
• Model Ports of Entry
• Improve entry experience of U.S. and
  international travelers
• Implemented at top 20 international arrival
  airports in U.S.
• 40 million for the program in FY09
• 25 million for 200 additional CBP officers, 6.5
  million for CBP overtime at Model Ports
  locations, and 8.5 million for Model Ports
  equipment and services.

10
2009 Agenda New Issues

• Energy and Climate Change
• NBTA supports comprehensive energy legislation to
  increase energy supplies, conservation, and tax
  incentives
• Airlines with new fleets very worried about
  difficulty of further improvements
• Transportation Infrastructure
• Investment in high speed rail, intermodal
  connections, and compensation for security costs
• Stimulus contained billions for infrastructure

11
Travel Regulation

• Backlash against Executive Compensation and
  spending by companies receiving assistance from
  Trouble Assets Relief Program (TARP)
• Senator Christopher Dodd (D-CT) inserted
  provision in Stimulus bill
• Treasury Department to define excessive and
  luxury expenditures
• The timing for the required rule-making is
  unclear
• The travel industry developed best practices
  guidelines for companies
• Urging Treasury and Congress to endorse

12
Travel Regulation II

• Senators Kerry and Feinstein and Reps. Cummings
  and Maloney have also introduced legislation
• Over 8,000 letters sent to the Administration and
  Congress by NBTA members
• http//capwiz.com/nbta/issues/alert/?alertid12773
  376
• U.S. Travel Association, NBTA, and other travel
  organization launched Meetings Mean Business
  campaign on March 4
• www.meetingsmeanbusiness.com

13
Federal Aviation Administration Reauthorization

• House passed FAA Reauthorization on May 20
• Provides 10.1 for development and implementation
  of the Next Generation Air Transportation System
  (NextGen) through 2010
• Bans cell phone voice communication on commercial
  aircraft
• Increases maximum Passenger Facility Charges
  (PFC) from 4.50 to 7.00 (NBTA did not support
  this provision)
• NBTA pushed for NextGen money in the Stimulus
• Randy Babbitt confirmed as FAA Administrator on
  May 21

14
Benefits of NextGen

• Stimulus to overall economy
• Enables job creation, global commerce
• Facilitates growth of travel, tourism,
  manufacturing and other sectors
• Creates opportunity to export new technologies
• Preserves U.S. leadership in aviation safety,
  environmental performance and technology
• Improved customer service via reduced flight
  delays, greater system capacity
• State-of-the-art space-based ATC system could
  potentially triple capacity for flights
• Reduced delays mean significant savings

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Benefits of NextGen II

• Improved environmental performance through more
  efficient aircraft routing and spacing, reducing
  fuel burn and GHG emissions by up to 12 percent
• Even a 6 percent fleet wide reduction in fuel
  burn results in fuel savings of 1.16 billion
  gallons and emissions savings of nearly 11
  million metric tons or 24 billion pounds of CO2
• Improved financial picture for airlines/employees
  via greater reliability of operations, fewer
  delays, improved travel/shipping times and less
  fuel burn
• Able to retain and create jobs
• Able to modernize fleets to further improve
  emissions reductions
• Able to compete more effectively against non-U.S.
  competitors

16
Inefficiencies of ATC can be addressed through
NextGen
Additional burn due to reroute1493 lbs
Boston, MA
Optimal Route Burn5883 lbs.
Actual Route flown
Optimal Route
Actual Route Burn7376 lbs.
Large Air Carrier DCA to BOS, December 2008
Washington, D.C.
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Why We Need NextGen Now

• Our nations antiquated air traffic control (ATC)
  system is woefully inadequate and imposes a
  significant drag on the nations economy
• Due to system deficiencies, drivers using GPS in
  their cars have more capabilities than most
  aircraft operating in todays airspace
• The time and opportunity to accelerate
  transformation of the system is now
• The acceleration of NextGen will create jobs,
  reduce delays and reduce environmental impacts

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Other Issues to Watch

• REAL ID and IDs for Travel
• TSA unionization
• Travel Promotion Act
• Olympics bid

19
Questions or Comments?

• C. Stewart Verdery, Jr.
• Partner and Founder, Monument Policy Group and
  NBTA Government Affairs Consultant
• stewart_at_monumentpolicy.com
• www.monumentpolicy.com
• [phone]