Alexandria, VA | The National Business Travel Association (NBTA) – the largest association of business travel professionals – praised U.S. Senate aviation leaders for bipartisan introduction of S.1451, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Reauthorization Act of 2009. Along with important safety provisions, the bill promises to make the Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) a reality that will benefit millions of business travelers and their employers.

Kevin Maguire, CCTE, GLP, NBTA President & CEO, said, “NBTA is excited to see the Senate acting on a bipartisan basis to speed implementation of NextGen. Today’s outdated aviation system has become a major drag on corporate productivity. Funding, regulating, and deploying an aviation system capable of supporting a 21st Century economy is vital to economic recovery in the short-term and economic vitality in the long-term.”

In contrast to the House version of the bill passed in May, the Senate version would not change or increase airport Passenger Facility Charges. In a previous statement, NBTA contended that air travelers should not be targeted with additional charges. See Statement

Maguire continued, “We are also pleased that the Senate avoided provisions to increase Passenger Facility Charges and disrupt valuable airline alliances. We urge the Senate to move quickly to pass the FAA legislation so that final legislation can be signed by President Obama this year.”

NBTA urges further refinements to the legislation such as removing provisions that seek to micromanage airline service performance, which would be better left to market-based decisions.

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 members manage more than $345 billion of global business travel and meetings expenditures annually. GBTA delivers 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.

About the GBTA Foundation

The mission of the GBTA Foundation, the US 501c3 charitable arm of GBTA, is to help the global business travel industry create a positive impact and a better future for people and the planet. The GBTA Foundation focuses on the strategy and execution of GBTA's global sustainability programs, supporting initiatives related to climate action; diversity, equity and inclusion; and other talent-related topics via education, research and advocacy.

Nicole Hayes
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