Airport GM Serves on Task Force Tackling Fuel Costs
By John McCullough

“We know the patient is sick, now it’s time to find the cure,” said Hartsfield-Jackson General Manager Ben DeCosta during a gathering of senior airline and airport executives in Washington, D.C. recently.

DeCosta was referring to the impact of rising fuel costs on aviation. He was one of more than 50 airport leaders to participate in an Air Service/Energy Task Force organized by the American Association of Airport Executives (AAAE). The task force is focused on discussing strategies on how to cope with the effects of the dramatic rise in fuel costs.

“This is a long-term crisis with no clear answer or silver bullet,” said DeCosta. “It’s clear we have to engage our federal lawmakers so they better understand the gravity of this issue on aviation and the economy.”

The task force established working groups to study and make recommendations on a national energy policy, a national air service policy, and policies the government can pursue in the short-term to address emerging service reductions.

“The situation is stark and demands immediate attention from Washington decision-makers,” said AAAE Chair Jim Elwood.