US: Trump could privatize nation's ATC

The chances that the federal government could hand off the US air traffic control system to private management are increasing, say advocates who report they are getting supportive feedback from President-elect Donald Trump and his team. US Rep. Bill Shuster, who chairs the House of Representatives Transportation Committee, has met with Trump and incoming Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao to make his case for moving the nation's 14,500 air traffic controllers and their mission out of government control and into a non-profit organization. Shuster and other privatization advocates argue that spinning off air traffic control into a non-government entity would allow for a more efficient system and rapid, cost-effective improvements of technology, in part by avoiding the government procurement process. The National Air Traffic Controllers Association, the union that represents controllers, came out in favor of Shuster's legislation earlier this year. But he has run into bipartisan opposition in both the House and the Senate and push back from some of the nation's airlines. Opponents say the US system is so large that privatization would not save money, would drive up ticket costs and could create a national security risk.<br/>