Air Travel Is Broken. There’s an Obvious Solution

The long lines and safety concerns plaguing airports have made it clear that the current structure for funding passenger screening and air traffic control doesn’t work. There is a solution, though.

The main problem is that the fees and taxes collected from passengers and airlines aren’t enough to cover the expenses of airport security nor the Federal Aviation Administration's budget. Funds from the general budget make up the difference, which means all taxpayers — even those who never board a plane — subsidize well-heeled flyers. It would be difficult to design a more regressive method. More important, the funding mechanism leaves both operations exposed to the whims of politics, which has created the long lines and chaos at many airports.