ABSTRACT
Airplane flying was very dangerous in the early days with frequent crashes and numerous victims. Since that time aviation has become heavily regulated, especially with regard to safety. An associated part of the problem is that planes falling down from the skies can and do cause damage on the ground further strengthening the need for regulation and direct government intervention and oversight. The complaints that the airline industry is grossly overregulated and that this is a major contributor to its lack of profitability is not uniquely American. The European carriers are especially annoyed at the new regulations forcing them to compensate the flying public for delayed flights and at the higher costs of security they have to bear. Since airports and air traffic control are government owned, controlled and supported in most places, the question often arises as to how much should be charged for their services.
