As I emphasized when Administrator Garvey and I testified on the flight delay issue before the Congress last Thursday, the willingness of organized labor to work closely with government and the airline companies is an essential component of any solution. I am also confident that despite the formidable challenges ahead, the greatest days of U.S. aviation are yet to come. When this Administration took office, U.S. aviation was on the verge of an economic abyss. President Clinton and Vice President Gore took prompt action, in concert with the industry, to deal with the crisis. The plan launched by the industry and the President worked.
Aviation can now look back on six consecutive years of growth.
Unlike the aviation problems this Administration inherited, the issues we face today are the problems of growth and success, rather than economic failure. And I believe we have most of the elements in place to successfully deal with the problems of growth. However, with the annual number of air travelers expected to reach one billion within the next ten years, we clearly must expand the capacity of the nation s aviation system. Recent achievements in upgrading our air traffic control system also give us reason to be optimistic that we will meet the challenge of unprecedented growth. I am particularly excited about the new possibilities that will emerge during Free Flight Phase 1 and 2.