Business Travel Group Opposes Proposed Security Fee Amounting to $1 Billion In New Taxes

Road warriors shouldn’t be viewed as “bottomless piggy banks,” and thus the Global Business Travel Association came out in opposition to an increase in the 9/11 Aviation Security Fee as proposed in a new federal government budget.

The fee would rise from $2.50 to enplanement to $5.60 in the federal budget proposal for next year.

“Putting aside the rhetoric, a tax by any other name is still a tax,” said Michael McCormick, GBTA’s executive director. “Under the proposed budget, business travelers will share the burden of a billion dollars in new aviation security taxes.”

“To aggravate the damage to business travel and U.S. businesses’ ability to conduct business effectively, the additional revenue will not be used to fund programs that benefit travelers,” McCormick added. “Enough is enough — business travelers are not bottomless piggy banks. Punishing a key driver of economic growth is the wrong approach. GBTA urges Congress to reject an increase in the aviation security tax.”

The GBTA, the largest business travel advocacy group in the U.S., joins Delta Air Lines in opposition to the latest round of new proposed fees on airline passengers.

Delta says it would pass along to passengers in the form of higher fares a proposed $5 increase in the TSA fee.