GAO Releases Aviation Fuel Price Increase Study
The governmental agency is looking at the health of the Airport and Airway Trust Fund, which is funded largely by fuel excise taxes.
Skyrocketing fuel prices are cited as the a major reason for reduced flying.
Skyrocketing fuel prices are cited as the a major reason for reduced flying.

The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) last month issued a report that examined the effect that rising fuel prices have had on civil aviation in the U.S. The government’s interest lies in the excise taxes imposed on the sale of aviation fuel and their contribution to the Airport and Airway Trust Fund, which was created in 1970 as a dedicated source of funding for the nation’s aviation system including the FAA’s capital improvement programs and a sizable portion of the agency’s operating budget. The GAO analysis attempted to assess the effect that future price increases would have on the fund over the next decade.