The Latest

GBTA Applauds Quick Fix to Flight Delays. When FAA began furloughing air traffic controllers last week, GBTA immediately sought relief from growing flight delays and cancellations.  GBTA requested a full briefing from the FAA Administrator and an alternative to controller cuts approach, and asked for a quick fix from Congress to put an end to the disruptions. GBTA contacted the media about the severe impact of growing flight delays on business travelers and their companies, and  GBTA also asked its members to send letters to their senators and representatives asking for a quick fix.  In three days, Congress agreed on a solution to put controllers back to work.  Read FAA Administrator Huerta letter and GBTA press release.

TSA Delays Knife Policy. Due to strong concerns raised by GBTA, Congress, law enforcement officials, and others, TSA has delayed implementation of a new policy allowing passengers to carry small knives on board aircraft.  Read TSA STATEMENT.

GBTA Comments on IATA NDC. In midMarch, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) filed an application with the Department of Transportation (DOT) seeking approval of a new XML-based electronic data interchange standard for airline distribution communications (commonly referred to Resolution 787).  The standard will support IATA’s proposed New Distribution Capability (NDC) that IATA believes will benefit travel buyers and standardize distribution practices.  Open Allies for Airfare Transparency, a coalition air travel distributors/sellers, opposes the application and argues that the application seeks approval of the data standard and new distribution model that Open Allies believes is not beneficial for buyers. In comments filed with DOT, GBTA noted that business travel buyers support market transformations and technologies that benefit businesses and their travelers, who make more than 400 million business trips each year. Distribution “must haves” for airfare and associated products and services include transparency, choice, competitive pricing, full content, a better experience for the travel buyer, appropriate safeguards to prevent unauthorized buyer profiling resulting in price increases for business customers, and consistent delivery across distribution channels. GBTA asked the DOT not to approve the IATA application due to a lack of clarity about the application itself and insufficient information available to GBTA or to the DOT to determine if Resolution 787 is “not adverse to the public interest,” the legal standard used in this DOT proceeding.  Read more in the IATA NDC Issue Brief.

GBTA Pushes Hill on Bill to Prohibit Car Rental Taxes. GBTA is meeting with key Congressional staff about the unfair impact of growing car rental taxes on business travelers.  Travel taxes like these are used to fund projects completely unrelated to business travel or travel infrastructure improvements, and discriminate against business travelers who grow local economies. Click here to learn more about the issue 

More Good PreCheck News. TSA announced that passengers will now be able to tell if they qualify for Precheck screening: Good news for eligible TSA PreCheck™ passengers! Delta Air Lines, United Airlines and US Airways are beginning to pre-notify passengers on boarding passes if they are eligible for TSA PreCheck™. By notifying passengers of their TSA PreCheck™ status, passengers are able to better route themselves to the TSA PreCheck™ lane for expedited screening.  http://blog.tsa.gov/2013/04/passengers-may-now-receive-notification.html

GBTA 2013 Legislative Symposium.  Register now!  Join your colleagues and meet with Washington officials to support policies that matter to you and your company – fewer flight delays through air traffic control modernization, no security or flight fee increases, and visa reform. LEARN MORE

2013 Government Relations Webinar. May 21, 2013. Join the Government Relations Committee to learn how YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE. Learn about policies and bills that can help or hurt the business travel industry – security fee increases to air traffic control modernization reducing delays/cancellations to visa reforms. Most importantly, learn how you can make a difference by asking your elected officials to support the business travel industry and bills that matter most to you and your company. WEBINAR REGISTRATION