How to Fix the Airline Mess

It's time Washington started recognizing that everyone benefits from aviation. Though military, business and private aircraft all use the infrastructure, U.S. commercial carriers primarily carry the costs. Why shouldn't a corporate hotshot in his Gulfstream jet pay a fair share to use the same services? And why should everyday passengers pay for an airport that no commercial airline can ever serve? It's unfair that airline security costs (to protect our citizens from attack from the air) are paid for predominantly by passenger ticket taxes. Since everyone benefits, why not use some of the revenue collected from everyone on April 15? Lastly, we must remove political influence on day-to-day operations. Get the government out of the business of regulating minutiae like "peanut-free" zones on some flights, as was attempted some time ago.

While airlines are often their own worst enemy, by doing things like thwarting pension reform or holding out on needed fare increases, they can make progress with some enlightened government guidance. Let's forget the handout approach, and let them fight it out in a truly deregulated marketplace.