Air Travel Is Broken. There's an Obvious Solution.

The article focuses on the challenges in funding and managing airport security and air traffic control in the United States, highlighting that current passenger fees and taxes are insufficient to cover costs, leading to reliance on general taxpayer funds and political vulnerability. It proposes creating a self-funded independent agency combining the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) air traffic control functions, governed by stakeholders including government, airlines, airports, and travelers. This agency could stabilize funding, improve workforce conditions, and enable technological advancements, potentially expanding privatization models like the TSA’s Screening Partnership Program, which allows private firms to conduct security checks under TSA oversight. The article cites the Port of Los Angeles as a successful example of an independent, publicly owned entity leveraging private-sector expertise and diversified funding to improve efficiency and financial health. [Extracted from the article]