4 ms·

I'm cautious to say this is a good idea, but I'm also optimistic the private sector would be more efficient than the public sector.

lordCarbonFiber 9y ago
I too look forward to the grand efficiencies that can only come from upholding share holder value above customer safety. Flying will be so much more exciting.
- dglass 9y ago
  It would be a non-profit corporation. This doesn't have anything to do with increasing shareholder value.
  - bryondowd 9y ago
    But it would be controlled by a board, which would include representatives of the big airlines, and several other seats that could likely end up controlled by the same. So, effectively, I'd expect them to end up beholden to airline company shareholders moreso than the agency currently is.
  - Dirlewanger 9y ago
    Just because there's no incentive to reward shareholders doesn't mean there isn't incentive to maximize efficiency. Too many people wrongly assume that just because it says nonprofit that they are instantly humanitarians working toward the betterment of society.
  - MaxfordAndSons 9y ago
    > This doesn't have anything to do with increasing shareholder value. > The plan drew immediate support from most airlines > the White House said the 13-member board of directors for the new corporation should be made up of appointees from industry stakeholder groups
    - kwhitefoot 9y ago
      How about having directors nominated by those who actually pay the bills, the passengers?
  - icebraining 9y ago
    So are the RIAA/MPAA and the NFL until recently.
pudo 9y ago
When did we decide efficiency was the goal of air traffic control? I want the thing to be effective and reliable, efficiency is way down the list here.
- lend000 9y ago
  Do you think government performs better in that regard than well regulated private industry? There are plenty of air-traffic control horror stories, and it appears to be systemic: https://www.rt.com/usa/312138-secret-faa-study-chronic-fatigue/ https://www.rt.com/usa/312138-secret-faa-study-chronic-fatig...
  - xmichael99 9y ago
    Don't forget to take everything RT says with a pretty major "grain of salt."
    - travmatt 9y ago
      As in, RT doesn't allow content that doesn't criticize America to be published.
- d0lph 9y ago
  Right, but part of efficiency improvements would probably include some level of automation, which would be more safe in the end.
  - chillingeffect 9y ago
    lot of hedging there. What you're referring to is a research project, not a deployable one. I agree it's worth researching. Common industrial research grants with a mixture of government and private funding can perform the research and develop it. And those improvements may be deployed to the sector whether it's private or not. There's no need to pre-emptively privatize the industry to perform R & D.
- Simulacra 9y ago
sametmax 9y ago
Yes cause it works so well with health insurance, right ?
CuriouslyC 9y ago
Privatizing something does not magically make it more efficient. The market tends to produce more efficient solutions than government because it tries many different approaches simultaneously, and they compete against each other. This probably won't work for air traffic control because it will be so regulated that innovation will be impossible (if innovation was even possible there in the first place). Furthermore, I doubt that the air traffic control market will be highly competitive - regulation will probably drive the market to cartel conditions. In all likelihood this will result in a small price decrease coupled with degraded service.

lordCarbonFiber 9y ago

I too look forward to the grand efficiencies that can only come from upholding share holder value above customer safety. Flying will be so much more exciting.

dglass 9y ago
It would be a non-profit corporation. This doesn't have anything to do with increasing shareholder value.
- bryondowd 9y ago
  But it would be controlled by a board, which would include representatives of the big airlines, and several other seats that could likely end up controlled by the same. So, effectively, I'd expect them to end up beholden to airline company shareholders moreso than the agency currently is.
- Dirlewanger 9y ago
  Just because there's no incentive to reward shareholders doesn't mean there isn't incentive to maximize efficiency. Too many people wrongly assume that just because it says nonprofit that they are instantly humanitarians working toward the betterment of society.
- MaxfordAndSons 9y ago
  > This doesn't have anything to do with increasing shareholder value. > The plan drew immediate support from most airlines > the White House said the 13-member board of directors for the new corporation should be made up of appointees from industry stakeholder groups
  - kwhitefoot 9y ago
    How about having directors nominated by those who actually pay the bills, the passengers?
- icebraining 9y ago
  So are the RIAA/MPAA and the NFL until recently.

pudo 9y ago

When did we decide efficiency was the goal of air traffic control? I want the thing to be effective and reliable, efficiency is way down the list here.

lend000 9y ago
Do you think government performs better in that regard than well regulated private industry? There are plenty of air-traffic control horror stories, and it appears to be systemic: https://www.rt.com/usa/312138-secret-faa-study-chronic-fatigue/ https://www.rt.com/usa/312138-secret-faa-study-chronic-fatig...
- xmichael99 9y ago
  Don't forget to take everything RT says with a pretty major "grain of salt."
  - travmatt 9y ago
    As in, RT doesn't allow content that doesn't criticize America to be published.
d0lph 9y ago
Right, but part of efficiency improvements would probably include some level of automation, which would be more safe in the end.
- chillingeffect 9y ago
  lot of hedging there. What you're referring to is a research project, not a deployable one. I agree it's worth researching. Common industrial research grants with a mixture of government and private funding can perform the research and develop it. And those improvements may be deployed to the sector whether it's private or not. There's no need to pre-emptively privatize the industry to perform R & D.
Simulacra 9y ago

sametmax 9y ago

Yes cause it works so well with health insurance, right ?

CuriouslyC 9y ago

Privatizing something does not magically make it more efficient. The market tends to produce more efficient solutions than government because it tries many different approaches simultaneously, and they compete against each other. This probably won't work for air traffic control because it will be so regulated that innovation will be impossible (if innovation was even possible there in the first place). Furthermore, I doubt that the air traffic control market will be highly competitive - regulation will probably drive the market to cartel conditions. In all likelihood this will result in a small price decrease coupled with degraded service.