U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood recently appointed Professor Severin Borenstein, co-director of the Energy Institute at Haas, to the newly established Future of Aviation Advisory Committee.
The purpose of the committee is to identify the priorities of the aviation industry – competition, infrastructure, financing, workforce, and environmental and safety issues — and offer innovative solutions to address the challenges.
"I'm very excited to be included in a committee that will help to shape U.S. aviation policy for the next decade," says Borenstein. "Despite the recent financial difficulties, I don't believe that the industry is in serious long-term jeopardy. My goal will be to help fine-tune policy to reduce some of the volatility in the industry while maintaining the benefits consumers have reaped through 30 years of deregulation."
Borenstein is one of 19 committee members. Other members include airline CEOs from United and JetBlue, representatives from UPS and three major airline unions, and the directors of three major airports. Consistent with his research background, Borenstein will sit on a subcommittee focused on competition and the financial health of the industry and on assuring adequate funding for aviation infrastructure.
Borenstein was a staff economist at the U.S. Civil Aeronautics Board during airline deregulation from 1978 to 1979 and has written more than 20 papers on the industry.