The US airline industry pushed back on 7 February 2005 against a Bush administration budget plan to raise the security fee charged on airline tickets, arguing the move would strain carriers already under financial pressure.
The proposal would have lifted the so-called September 11 security fee by three dollars, bringing it to 5.50 dollars per flight segment. Air Transport Association president James May said a levy on travelers amounts to a levy on airlines, since any added fee raises ticket prices and the cost of running the business.
May noted that carriers already pay roughly 15.8 billion dollars in taxes and fees, and that the extra 1.5 billion dollars from the increase would, in his words, "undermine the economic stability of the commercial aviation industry." He warned the change could put airline jobs at risk and threaten service to small and mid-sized communities.
Where it stands now. Congress declined to approve the 2005 increase and rejected similar requests in later years. The passenger security fee was eventually restructured under the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013, becoming a flat 5.60 dollars per one-way trip effective 21 July 2014.
TurkishPress summary of a February 2005 wire report.