Trump’s Plan to Privatize Air Traffic Control – What Will it Mean for You?

On Monday, June 5, President Trump announced a plan to privatize air traffic control in the United States. Air traffic control is currently a function of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), part of the US Department of Transportation. Air traffic controllers are unionized federal employees. Under Trump’s plan, air traffic controllers would become employees of a non-profit private corporation. This non-profit corporation would also take over the modernization of the air traffic control system.

This week’s announcement doesn’t mean that the plan to privatize air traffic control will go into effect immediately. Instead, the plan will likely be included in legislation to reauthorize the FAA. It will have to pass Congress before it will become a reality.

Assuming that the privatization of air control goes into effect, what will it mean for you as a traveler?

What Does Air Traffic Control Do?

When you travel by air, you will encounter quite a few people whose job it is to keep you safe. You’ll have your ticket, passport, and carry-on bags checked by Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers. You’ll see police officers patrolling the inside and outside of the airport. You may get to greet the pilot and co-pilot as you board your flight. And don’t forget about flight attendants! They’re not just there to bring you Diet Coke and pretzels. A flight attendant’s most important duty is making sure that safety regulations are followed in the cabin of your flight, and to take charge in case of emergency. But you won’t see some of the people with the most crucial role in keeping you safe in the air – the air traffic controllers and other employees of the Federal Aviation Administration.

In a nutshell, air traffic controllers are in charge of directing aircraft traffic both on the ground and in the air. They supervise all civil aviation. Civil aviation comprises all non-military flights, both commercial aviation (passenger airlines and major cargo operations) and general aviation (private, charter, and corporate aircraft). They monitor all flights to make sure that aircraft don’t collide either in the air or on the ground. They maintain communication with pilots to help aircraft avoid hazards like thunderstorms. The FAA also sets aircraft routes — if you don’t have noisy airplanes flying over your house all day, thank the FAA!

Controllers monitor air traffic in a number of ways. At airports, some air traffic control is done visually. Controllers both on the tarmac and in the air traffic control tower will literally keep their eyes on the planes. The FAA also requires all flights, commercial and private, to file a flight plan in advance of takeoff. But by far, the most important way that the FAA monitors flights is by radar.

Why Does Trump Want to Privatize Air Traffic Control?

In his speech on Monday, Trump minced no words about the Federal Aviation Administration. He called the current air traffic control framework “an ancient, broken, antiquated, horrible system that doesn’t work.” (We would argue with that, as US commercial aviation is a remarkably safe way to travel!) The biggest complaint about the current state of air traffic control is that modernization efforts have not gone as quickly as some in government would have hoped.

The FAA has been working on a multi-faceted modernization program called NextGen. One major part of NextGen will be to replace the radar-based air control with a GPS-based system. Under the current radar system, aircraft can’t fly directly from point A to point B. Instead, they have to fly from one radar waypoint to another, so that the FAA will never lose track of them. With a GPS monitoring system, more direct routes would become possible. This would also make it possible to have more flights in the air at once, and those flights would be shorter and more fuel-efficient.

Sounds great, right? The only problem is that it’s a very complex set of systems that have to be put into place, for a very important purpose. The life of every air traveler depends on it! But Trump is disgusted that NextGen has not been pushed through quickly, and he believes that a private corporation could do the job faster.

The US would not be the first country to privatize air traffic control. Germany, Italy, and Luxembourg are among the countries that have air traffic control run by a government-owned private corporation, which is funded by user fees included in air ticket prices. The plan that has been put forward by the US presidential administration is very similar to the system currently used in Canada. Canada’s private non-profit air traffic control company, Nav Canada, has been successful in bringing out new technologies quickly, without government red tape. This has allowed for shorter, more fuel-efficient flights while maintaining safety.

Would Privatizing Air Traffic Control be Good for Travelers?

Experts are split as to whether Trump’s plan to privatize air traffic control would be good for travelers and the aviation industry. Of the two major air traffic controller unions, the National Air Traffic Controllers Association is in favor of privatization, but the Professional Aviation Safety Specialists union opposes it. Most of the major US airlines have backed privatization plans, with the notable exception of Delta.

We know what you’d results you’d like to see. We want air travel to remain extremely safe, but we’d all love to have shorter, more efficient flights. It would be great to have our ticket prices drop because the airline’s fuel cost is less. But would we see lower ticket prices? Delta Airlines released a study last year suggesting that privatization of air traffic control could result in a 20+ percent increase in passenger fees.

Privatizing air traffic control is far from a done deal. Attempts at privatization have been made since the Clinton administration, and none have yet succeeded. We’ll be keeping a close eye on the development of this story. If there is news that affects travelers, it’s important to us, and we’ll bring it to you!

Source: https://passportinfo.com/trumps-plan-to-privatize-air-traffic-control/

News Roundup: Laptop Ban, Miami Passport Agency, and More

This month, the laptop ban once again dominates the travel news! In our May roundup of the most important travel stories, we'll take an in-depth look at the ban on electronics in airplane cabins. (This is a hot topic - stay tuned for more updates from PassportInfo.com!)

We've also got an update on the status of the Miami Passport Agency, which flooded last month. Finally, if you are traveling to Europe, you'll want to check out the latest news about entry procedures for Italy and France!

Will the Laptop Ban be Expanded?

This week, news broke that the United States is considering extending the ban on laptops in carry-on luggage. US officials have been in talks with European Union representatives in Brussels, discussing the potential terrorist threat of bombs hidden in laptops or other electronic devices. As of now, there are no immediate plans to expand the existing laptop ban, but talks will resume next week.

What is the current laptop ban?

In March, both the United States and the United Kingdom enacted a ban on electronic devices larger than a smartphone in the cabins of some flights. Travelers flying into the US or UK from selected airports in the Middle East are not allowed to bring their laptops, tablets, portable DVD players, large cameras, or other devices into the cabin of the airplane. Instead, all of these devices must be checked and stored in the aircraft's baggage hold.

This ban remains in place, with no sign that it will be lifted soon.

Replacing one danger with another?

The current laptop ban was put into place due to intelligence information that indicated that terrorists are developing bombs that can be hidden inside a laptop. The highly classified information that Donald Trump shared with Russian officials recently included many sensitive details about this plot. The threat is being taken seriously enough that the Department of Homeland Security is considering extending the in-cabin ban on electronics. Proposals to enact a laptop ban on US-bound flights originating in Europe, or even on all international flights to the US, have been discussed.

Although placing laptops into the cargo hold would make it more difficult for terrorists to trigger a bomb, there are other dangers to be considered. The most serious threat is that of fire. Laptops contain lithium ion batteries, which can overheat and self-combust, especially if they are tightly packed or compressed. There have been several plane crashes caused by laptop battery fires, though none of them during the laptop ban.

Travelers also worry about the more mundane threats of theft and damage. Not only are laptops and other devices quite expensive, they often contain sensitive data.

We are monitoring the news closely and will bring you any updates about the laptop ban as they break.

Beat the Surge of Passport Applications

 

Record numbers of people are applying for US passports this year. In some cities, crowds of people are lining up at Passport Acceptance Agents, trying to get first-time passports for themselves or their children. Meanwhile, an unprecedented number of passports will expire this year. That means the State Department will be getting more passport renewal applications than they've ever seen before!

If you need to get a new passport this year, read on for our tips on how to beat the crowds to get your passport

A Perfect Storm of Passport Applications

There's no doubt about it - 2017 is going to be a banner year for passports! We're already seeing huge numbers of passport applications. It's very likely that there will be far more US passports issued this year than in any year in history.

Ever since records have been kept, there's been a steady upward trend in the number of US passports issued each year. But this year is special. Several factors have come together to increase the number of passport applications beyond anything ever seen before:

• 10th Anniversary of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative. WHTI, the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative, went into effect in 2007. This law requires everyone traveling in or out of the US by air to have a valid passport. More than 18 million people applied for US passports in 2007, and all of those passports are now expiring.
• REAL ID Deadline Approaching. Starting in January 2018 - just eight months from now! - you'll need to have a Federally-approved form of identification in order to board any flight, domestic or international. Some driver's licenses are not accepted as REAL ID, so many travelers are applying for passport books or passport cards to use for domestic travel.
• The Trump Passport Surge. We called it back in November, and we were right. There has been an increase in passport applications as a result of President Trump's policies, particularly the immigration raids that were launched as part of the crackdown on illegal immigration.

 

Skip the Lines at the Passport Acceptance Facility

If you're applying for your first passport, a child's passport, or for a replacement for a lost, stolen, or damaged passport, your first stop will be a Passport Acceptance Facility. From Florida to California, from sea to shining sea, Passport Acceptance Facilities are reporting long lines of applicants. At some locations, people are lining up hours before the facility even opens! We know you don't have time for that.

To cope with the high number of passport applications, new facilities are opening up all the time, and many existing facilities are extending their operating hours. 

If you need to visit a Passport Acceptance Facility, use our locator to find all the locations near your home, school, or business. Make sure to consider all of your options, including:

• Walk-In Facilities. These locations don't require appointments, but take passport applications on a first-come, first-served basis.
• Appointment-Only Facilities. Although appointments may be harder to come by these days, the good news is that you won't need to wait in line for hours to be seen! It's a good idea to plan ahead and schedule your appointment well in advance of your trip.
• Facilities with Evening or Weekend Hours. Some locations offer service outside of normal business hours -- very convenient for people who work full time!
• Passport Fairs. Some Passport Acceptance Facilities will host special "Passport Fairs" or "Passport Days." These events, typically held on Saturdays, allow travelers to bring in passport applications for service on a day that the facility is normally closed. Sometimes they are held at locations outside the Passport Acceptance Facility. Passport Fairs are usually first-come, first-serve, so plan to get there early! For example, this coming Saturday, April 8, Passport Fairs will be held at:
  
  
  • Mountain Home Post Office, Mountain Home, Arkansas
  • Yankton Post Office, Yankton, South Dakota

The Latest Travel Ban: Your Laptop and Tablet?

Although President Trump’s revamped travel ban on travelers from select Muslim-majority nations has been blocked by Federal courts, the US and UK have both announced a new travel ban... on electronics! You might not be able to bring your laptop or tablet on board with you the next time you fly back home to the United States.

Starting on Tuesday, March 21, if you are flying directly to the US from one of ten designated airports in Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Morocco, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, or the UAE, you will not be able to board the plane carrying any electronic device larger than a smartphone. That means no typing up your sales report on your laptop. No reading on your Kindle. No games on your iPad. No videos for the kids on your portable DVD player.

The Specifics on the Travel Ban on Electronics

The US travel ban on electronics applies only to direct flights to the United States that originate at one of ten airports in Muslim-majority nations:

Passport News Roundup: Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae/Eat My Passport)

Welcome to the March 2017 edition of our Passport News Roundup! We have some wild stories to cover this month. We'll look at everything from passport lines to passport seizures... with a passport snack in between! This month's passport news features baseball stars, rappers, and the President of the United States.

Come with us as we review the hottest passport news stories from all across the United States and beyond.

 

Watch Me (Stand in Line for a Passport)

Back in November, we wrote an article asking if Trump's election would cause a passport rush. Less than four months later, it looks like we have a clear answer, and that answer is yes! Media outlets around the country are reporting on crowds of people jamming passport acceptance facilities seeking to get US passports.

The State Department had already expected a higher than normal number of passport applications in 2017, but last month's well-publicized immigration raids have prompted a new surge of applications.

In Travis County, Texas, the local Passport Acceptance Facility says that applicants are starting to line up at 5 A.M. every morning, three hours before the facility opens at 8 o'clock. Many of the people in line are families of undocumented parents seeking to get passports for their US-born children. A report from CBS News in Sacramento, California featured a mother who expressed the fears of many immigrant parents. She was seeking a US passport for her 11 year old son, not just to allow him to stay in the US, but to give him the freedom to travel if she is deported. More than anything, she feared being separated from her son. If he does not have a valid passport, he would not be able to travel with her back to her home country if she is deported.

It's not just US passports that are being sought - consulates of countries like Mexico and El Salvador report that they also are seeing an increase in passport applications. Families of undocumented immigrants are seeking passports from their native countries to make sure they can all travel together if one member is deported.

Immigration Raids: What Identification Should You Show?

This past weekend, people across the US were alarmed by reports of immigration raids in many cities. US Customs and Immigration Enforcement (ICE) has confirmed that they arrested more than 600 undocumented immigrants last week. ICE officials stated that raids occurred in Atlanta, Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, and North and South Carolina. However, reports of additional raids in cities across the country have been rampant on social media. Immigration activists and individual witnesses have reported immigration checkpoints and raids in locations including suburban Washington, DC, Plant City, FL, and Austin, TX. Some of these unconfirmed reports state that ICE has been stopping large numbers of people in public places such as shopping center parking lots or public transportation, demanding to see identification, and detaining anyone who can’t show appropriate identification.

If you get caught up in an immigration raid, would you know what type of identification to show to prove your US citizenship or legal residency?

Are the Recent Immigration Raids “Business as Usual”?

According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, last week’s arrests were just routine enforcement. Indeed, 600 arrests in one week is far from a record. During just one week in 2015, 2,000 illegal immigrants were arrested by ICE. Typical enforcement activities conducted by ICE target specific undocumented immigrants who have criminal records, with the goal of arresting and deporting them. ICE officials state that they’re not in the habit of going into public places and attempting to round up any illegal immigrants who may be there.

However, many people believe that the raids last week were not just the type of enforcement activity that was common under the Obama administration. They may be connected to an executive order signed by President Trump on January 25. This executive order focused on public safety, expanded the categories of immigrants considered a high priority for deportation. Instead of focusing on what we might think of as “criminals” — thieves, rapists, drug dealers, and the like — the executive order defined “criminal” undocumented immigrants as anyone who had broken any sort of law. This includes both felonies and misdemeanors, as well as the types of laws that just about every illegal immigrant has broken, such as crossing the US border unlawfully or providing a false Social Security Number to get a job.

President Trump added to this plausible connection with a Sunday morning post on Twitter. “The crackdown on illegal criminals is merely the keeping of my campaign promise. Gang members, drug dealers & others are being removed!”

Coming on the heels of the recent travel ban executive order, many people are nervous that these immigration raids are only the beginning. What if the unconfirmed reports are true, and ICE really is doing things like boarding buses and demanding to see everyone’s papers? If you are a US citizen or legal US resident, what kind of identification should you carry to prevent you being arrested by mistake?

Prove Your US Status With the Right Identification

What’s in your wallet? Whether you are a US citizen or not, some forms of identification will prove your residency status and others will not.

Non-US Citizens

The American Civil Liberties Union recommends that all non-US citizens should carry proof of their legal status in the US at all times. According to the ACLU, non-US citizens are required to show their immigration papers to immigration officers upon request. If you are stopped in an immigration checkpoint, and you don’t proof of your legal status in the US, you could find yourself detained by ICE!

The best documents for non-US citizens to carry are:

• Alien Resident Card (“green card”)
• Foreign passport with valid US visa.

US Citizens

Yes, you’re a US citizen. But can you prove it? Most of us just carry around our driver’s licenses as proof of identification. However, your driver’s license doesn’t necessarily prove that you are a US citizen!

Documents that will prove your US citizenship beyond a shadow of a doubt include:

• US Passport Book
• US Passport Card
• Enhanced Driver’s License

What About Driver’s Licenses?

We’ve talked a lot about REAL ID here on PassportInfo.com.
Unless you’re a resident of Kentucky, Maine, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, or Washington state, you may already have a REAL ID driver’s license. You can check by looking at the top of your driver’s license. Do you see a star? If you have a star, great! Your license is REAL ID. If your license was issued a few years ago, and you don’t see a star, your license is still a valid driver’s license… but it isn’t REAL ID.

The reason REAL ID matters now is that states can only issue REAL ID driver’s licenses or non-driver IDs to people who are either US citizens or legal US residents. Most states will still issue driver’s licenses to people who can’t prove their residence status, but those licenses will be the non-REAL ID version. They won’t have the star!

If you show your driver’s license to an ICE officer, they will be looking to see if your license is REAL ID. A REAL ID license will indicate that you are either a US citizen or a legal resident (green card or visa holder). But what if you’ve got an old license without a star? It doesn’t prove your residency status. If you are a US citizen concerned about the possibility of immigration raids, you might want to either update your driver’s license to REAL ID or start carrying your passport book or passport card.

We’ll be watching this story closely and will bring you updates on any political actions that impact citizenship, immigration, or travel.

Source: https://passportinfo.com/immigration-raids-protect-yourself/

Will Trump’s Election Cause a Passport Rush?

In the wake of Donald Trump’s election, we’ve been asked if we expect to see a surge in passport applications from people who want to leave the country. It’s true that many peoplealways talk about moving to Canada or other international destinations if the election doesn’t go their way. Very, very few people actually follow through on it, though!

Although we don’t expect to see a passport rush from people fleeing the US, some political analysts are urgingcertain groups of Americans to acquire passports now.

 

Transgender Americans

Trump’s election has alarmed many people in the LGBT community, who are concerned that they may lose many of the rights that have been gained over the last decade. Trans people feel particularly vulnerable. The rights of trans people have already been the subject of fierce battles across the United States, even during the Obama administration. Transgender activists have been making suggestions of concrete actions that trans people can take now to protect themselves from the possible consequences of the coming Trump/Pence administration. Chief among those suggestions – get a passport now!

It’s important for transgender people to have identification that correctly lists their legal name, gender, and shows their current appearance. Every state maintains different rules about the issuance of driver’s licenses, so it may be difficult for some trans people to update their driver’s license to reflect their gender transition. The rules for passport issuance for trans people are the same from coast to coast. Under the current rules, trans people can have a passport issued with an appropriate gender marker if they submit documentation from their doctor showing that they are in, or have completed, gender transition. The name can be updated by submitting the original court order for name change. This original document is returned when the passport is issued, but the letters from the doctor or medical records will be retained by the State Department.

With a valid US passport, trans people will be able to continue to travel freely both inside and outside the United States. This will be particularly important as of 2018, when the REAL ID act will be enforced at all US airports for domestic flights.

Transgender passport applicants may also want to consider getting a passport card in addition to a passport book. Having a card-sized federal ID showing the current name and gender will be essential for anyone who has trouble updating their driver’s license.