Labor, Airlines Look to Babbitt

Airlines and labor unions alike are hoping new Federal Aviation Administrator Randy Babbitt can bring new energy to an agency that has been losing altitude.

Babbitt, who was approved by the Senate unanimously May 22, takes control of an agency buffeted by labor and financial turbulence. One of his first challenges will to be to pilot a long-delayed Federal Aviation Administration reauthorization through Congress.

That reauthorization is crucial to plans to revitalize the nation’s aging air traffic management systems.

Babbitt is personally well acquainted with those systems. Most recently a partner at aviation consultant Oliver Wyman, is a former president of the Air Line Pilots Association and an airline pilot.

He’s also done duty twice at FAA, first in 2000 as a Clinton appointee to FAA’s Management Advisory Council and then last year, when then-Transportation Secretary Mary E. Peters named him to an independent safety review team.

“Administrator Babbitt's deep understanding of aviation matters and his willingness to tackle these issues head-on will enable the United States to continue to operate the safest — and become the most efficient — system of transportation in the world,” said Air Transport Association President and CEO James C. May.

Labor unions hailed the appointment of a former union leader as FAA chief.

“In recent years, FAA leadership chose ideology over sensible policy, evaded tough decisions and employed scorched-earth tactics with its workforce,” the Transportation Trades Department of the AFL-CIO said. “Under Randy Babbitt that era ends today.”