Failure to invest in air traffic control seem to bring decrease in cheap air tickets
As Americans, we have a problem with the need to pay taxes. We seem to believe that caring commercial organizations will solve all our problems without the need for us to pay a government to provide a basic infrastructure. Sadly, this is completely unrealistic. Organizations that exist to make a profit are not interested in giving free access to services. If we do not pay modest taxes, we will end up paying higher commercial charges for the same services. As an example of the problem, let's look at the failure to invest in air traffic control. We're rapidly reaching the point where the controllers cannot safely manage the traffic. The result is increasing delays in scheduling take-off and landing slots. Unless something dramatic is done to increase capacity, delays will increase significantly. At first, this is likely to affect only those holding cheap flight tickets. For historical reasons, the air traffic system gives priority to the larger legacy airlines, so the discount and budget carriers will find it difficult to get slots at the major hubs.
As to the design or airports, we're already experiencing serious delays because of the increased levels of security. If airports are expected to operate at peak levels for more hours in the day, this will need major redesign and significant increases in the number of trained staff. In turn, this will force up prices for the use of airports. Yet there are no signs of any willingness to make the necessary investments. With Washington focused on reducing the deficit, it's difficult to see how funds can be diverted to air transport when there are obvious shortages and problems in other equally important public services. Air travel is not considered a public service in need of government support when put alongside health care and education.
Will cheap air tickets decline?
The situation is worse at state level where the local deficits are forcing some cities into bankruptcy. Without major increases in the level of taxes collected and adequate investment, the national air traffic control system will struggle to perform even at current levels, and it will also fail to match the more sophisticated systems operated in Europe. Cheaper ticket deals will decline as delays increase - only a higher ticket price guarantees arrival at the destination on time in a capitalist country.