Air Transport Association Statement on USDA Withdrawal of Inspection Fee Increase

WASHINGTON, Nov. 2 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Air Transport Association of America (ATA), the industry trade organization for the leading U.S. airlines, today applauded a decision by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) to withdraw the recently published interim rule to increase the fees charged for certain agricultural quarantine and inspection services.

"We are pleased that the Department of Agriculture reassessed its plans to implement a fee increase on international airline passengers and we hope that any future consideration of such a change will be done in consultation with the airlines, who question the need for another fee increase," said ATA President and CEO James C. May.

The rule, which was scheduled to take effect on Nov. 1, 2009, would have imposed a fee increase on international airline passengers and air carriers. According to the USDA, this increase would have raised an additional $40 million annually from passengers and $7 million annually from air carriers -- above and beyond the $480 million annually currently collected from passengers and carriers.

ATA airline members and their affiliates transport more than 90 percent of all U.S. airline passenger and cargo traffic. For additional industry information, visit www.airlines.org.