Monday, December 31, 2001                                                                            
Contact:  Hank Price
DOT  130-01                                                                                      
Tel.:  (202) 366-5580
 

U.S. Transportation Department Imposes September 11 Security Fee

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has issued an interim final rule that imposes a $2.50 fee on each air carrier passenger enplanement in order to help pay for the Federal government’s costs of providing aviation security services.   The September 11 Security Fee was authorized in the landmark Aviation and Transportation Security Act, which was signed into law by President George Bush on Nov. 19, 2001.

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

Under the interim final rule, direct air carriers, both domestic and foreign, will be responsible for collecting these fees for enplanements from U.S. airports beginning Friday, Feb. 1, 2002, and transmitting them to DOT’s new Transportation Security Administration (TSA).

According to the DOT budget office, approximately $900 million would be raised from this fee in fiscal year 2002.  The funds will help pay for passenger and baggage screeners, security managers and law enforcement personnel at airports, as well as other aviation security efforts, such as the purchase of explosive detection systems.  

The interim final rule appears in the December 31 issue of the Federal Register.  The department will consider comments on this interim final rule received in the rulemaking docket through March 1.

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