NBAA Submits Comments on LASP Today, but More Work Lies Ahead

Contacts: Dan Hubbard, (202) 783-9360, dhubbard@nbaa.org
Patrick Dunne (202) 783-9263, pdunne@nbaa.org

Washington, DC, February 27, 2009 – National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) President and CEO Ed Bolen today submitted comments that clearly articulate the serious concerns raised by the Transportation Security Administration’s (TSA’s) highly controversial Large Aircraft Security Program (LASP). NBAA’s comments were submitted to the federal government’s public docket on the final day for public comment on the LASP.

“As NBAA has noted since the LASP was introduced last October, this proposal completely misses the mark,” said Bolen. “The TSA needs to understand that in preparing the LASP, the agency has attempted to overlay a security regime for the big airlines onto tens of thousands of businesses all across the country. If left unchanged, the plan would overwhelm these small businesses in a time of economic crisis without providing a clear security benefit.”

NBAA’s comments added to those submitted by more than 4,000 businesses, associations and individuals, all of which raise a variety of criticisms about the TSA’s proposal. NBAA’s 30-page document details the myriad ways the proposal would harm the GA industry. The main concerns include:

NBAA’s comments also renew the Association’s call, first made last January, for a rulemaking committee that would allow for a productive dialogue to take place between government and industry stakeholders on the development of reasonable security policies.

“The business aviation community has a long and demonstrated history of partnership with government in developing effective yet workable security measures for the industry,” Bolen said. “A rulemaking committee would provide a forum for stakeholder information sharing and the development of sensible and implementable measures.”

Bolen also thanked NBAA Members for making their voices heard on the LASP. “The business aviation community has truly done an outstanding job of getting our message to the TSA about our concerns with the agency’s plan,” Bolen said. “Through the comments submitted to the public docket, the messages sent through Contact Congress, the participation in the TSA hearings and other measures, our industry acted when called upon and sounded a forceful, nationwide alarm about our grave concerns about the proposal. There is still much work to be done, and we will continue to count on our Members’ support. But we appreciate their continuing dedication to this issue, and to sensible security policies.”

For more information on the LASP proposal and NBAA’s full comments, visit www.nbaa.org/lasp.

Founded in 1947 and based in Washington, DC, the National Business Aviation Association, Inc. (NBAA) is the leading organization for companies that rely on general aviation aircraft to help make their businesses more efficient, productive and successful. The Association represents more than 8,000 companies and provides more than 100 products and services to the business aviation community, including the NBAA Annual Meeting & Convention, the world’s largest civil aviation trade show. Learn more about NBAA at www.nbaa.org.

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