Trump proposes to privatise air traffic control

US President Donald Trump on Monday proposed to Congress a law to privatise the US air traffic control system with an eye toward modernising it and making it more efficient, according to Khaleej Times.

The move is part of a weeklong focus on proposals to improve the country's infrastructure, Efe reported.

Trump announced his plan to transfer authority over the air traffic control network from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to a private, non-profit entity -- albeit under FAA supervision -- the board of which would be comprised of airline, government and union personnel.

"Today we're proposing to take American air travel into the future, finally," Trump said, adding that "We're proposing reduced wait times, increased route efficiency and far fewer delays. Our plan will get you where you need to go more quickly, more effectively and ... on time."

Trump added that the current US air traffic control system is not prepared to deal with innovation and is plagued by "unacceptable delays," which cost "billions" of dollars each year and constitute an economic burden to the nation.

The White House said that the new structure, which would be financed by tariffs on air tickets, would enable the transition to the use of GPS technology -- instead of radar -- to coordinate the country's air traffic control, a move that it said would create more direct routes.

The White House also said that liberalising the air traffic control system would allow the country to move forward with technologies such as uncrewed aircraft.

At a meeting with reporters, White House officials said that the initiative will create a more efficient system.

(compiled by Rafiqul Islam)