Senate vote paves way for rollback of TSA Security Tax

Joint consumer and airline industry efforts mean $60 million in tax savings for consumers.

Travelers United, the leading consumer advocacy group for travelers, applauds the Senate passage of legislation to protect consumers from the continuing increases of government taxes and fees — in this case rolling back a portion of the 9/11 Security Tax imposed to fund the Transportation Security Administration (TSA).

Charlie Leocha, Chairman and co-founder of Travelers United (formerly Consumer Travel Alliance) stated, “This Senate vote, together with the unanimous House vote, will save travelers an estimated $60 million in new taxes on airline travel.”

“More importantly,” he noted, “this effort is an example of how committed and disciplined consumer groups can work together with the airline association to foster win-win solutions to ever-increasing taxes and fees on travel.”

Travelers United and Airlines for America have worked steadfastly together through this entire legislative and regulatory process communicating with Senate and House budget negotiators, corresponding with the TSA Administrator and working with committee staff in Congress.

The 9/11 Security Tax was simplified as part of the Balanced Budget Act of 2013. A flat $5.60 fee per one-way trip was implemented, rather than the segment-based process that had been in effect prior to this bill. However, TSA took the congressional language one step further and changed the definition of “round-trip,” which resulted in more than a doubling of the total fee, based on certain scenarios.

Travelers United and Airlines for America sent a joint letter to the TSA Administrator protesting this TSA change. The organizations also contacted budget leaders from both the Senate and House and asked them to send a clarification to TSA that their intent was not to redefine round-trip as it regards collection of these fees.

TSA ignored both the pleadings of Travelers United and Airlines for America as well as the joint letter from Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) and Representative Paul Ryan (R-WI). TSA implemented a new fee collection scheme that has been in effect for the past few months.

This legislation, when signed by the President, will restore the 9/11 Security Fee increase back to the scale intended by the budget negotiators. This Senate vote and the previous House vote are important victories for the flying public and the airline industry.

Travelers United thanks Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Jay Rockefeller (D-WV) and Ranking Member John Thune (R-SD) as well as their House counterparts, for their leadership to protect consumers from out-of-control extra fees, this time being imposed on the flying public by the government.

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