Travel Industry Calls for DHS to Avoid Travel Chaos

WASHINGTON – The undersigned organizations, representing airports, airlines, hotels and other business and consumer stakeholders, today urged the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to avoid actions that would significantly reduce Customs and Border Protection (CBP) operations at U.S. airport Ports of Entry. The groups warned that disruptions at major international gateway airports would have nationwide consequences, negatively affecting travelers, businesses, supply chains, and airport operations across the country.

“Any reduction in Customs and Border Protection operations at major U.S. gateway airports threatens to cause unnecessary chaos throughout the nation’s air transportation system. International aviation networks are highly interconnected, and operational changes at a small number of gateway airports will quickly ripple across the country, negatively impacting travelers, cargo shipments, supply chains, and the communities that depend on those connections. Airports and airlines rely on stable, predictable federal inspection services to keep people and commerce moving safely and efficiently. We urge DHS to avoid actions that would create unnecessary operational and economic consequences for communities nationwide. As the United States prepares for growing international travel demand, DHS should avoid actions that would create unnecessary bottlenecks and economic consequences for communities across the country. Now is the time to strengthen America’s gateway infrastructure, not weaken it.”

Airline Passenger Experience Association
Airlines for America
Airports Council International – North America
American Association of Airport Executives
American Hotel and Lodging Association
Association of Value Airlines
Cargo Airline Association
Global Business Travel Association
GREAT USA Coalition
International Air Transport Association
International Flight Services Association
National Business Aviation Association
National Retail Federation
Regional Airline Association
Travelers United
U.S. Chamber of Commerce
U.S. Travel Association

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About ACI-NA

Airports Council International-North America (ACI-NA) represents local, regional, and state governing bodies that own and operate commercial airports in the United States and Canada. ACI-NA member airports enplane more than 95 percent of the domestic and virtually all the international airline passenger and cargo traffic in North America. Approximately 380 aviation-related businesses are also members of ACI-NA, providing goods and services to airports. Collectively, U.S. airports support more than 11.5 million jobs and account for $1.4 trillion in economic activity – or more than seven percent of the total U.S. GDP. Canadian airports support 405,000 jobs and contribute C$35 billion to Canada’s GDP. Learn more at www.airportscouncil.org.