Airline passengers to pay security fee next month

WASHINGTON (AP) _ The cost of a round trip ticket will rise as much as $10 next month as airline passengers begin paying for security improvements. <br><br>The Transportation Department said the new security

Thursday, January 3rd 2002, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

WASHINGTON (AP) _ The cost of a round trip ticket will rise as much as $10 next month as airline passengers begin paying for security improvements.

The Transportation Department said the new security fee of $2.50 per flight, or $5 for passengers who change planes, will take effect Feb. 1. That's $5 for a round trip nonstop flight, or $10 if the passenger has to change planes each way.

The new fee is expected to raise around $900 million this year, which is to be spent on new technology, passenger screeners, law enforcement officers and other security measures. Airlines are to collect the money and give it to the new Transportation Security Administration, which will take over aviation security from the Federal Aviation Administration on Feb. 17.

The fee was included in the new airline security bill passed by Congress following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

``Both the administration and Congress are committed to making significant improvements in aviation security,'' Transportation Secretary Norman Y. Mineta said. ``The funds raised through this September 11 Security Fee will be used to implement new aviation security measures to help achieve this important goal.''

Travelers already pay up to $18 per round trip in passenger facility charges, which are used to help pay for airport improvements.

The leader of an advocacy group representing airline passengers said they shouldn't be asked to pay extra for security.

``The argument we had made to the Congress was this was law enforcement activity and it ought to be part of the general treasury,'' said David Stempler, president of the Air Travelers Association. ``You don't get charged every time you make a call to the police.''

The Transportation Department is seeking public comments on the new fee through March 1, and will issue a final regulation later.

With air travel still below pre-Sept. 11 levels, the Transportation Department reported Wednesday that most flights arrived on time last month.

The DOT said 84.7 percent of the flights of the 11 largest U.S. air carriers arrived within 15 minutes of their scheduled time. That was just below the 84.8 percent on-time record recorded in October. In November 2000, 72.8 percent of flights arrived on time.