Federal regulators are capping flights at Newark airport through the end of the year, citing runway repairs and a severe air traffic controller shortage. While the travel hub is attracting a lot of the media buzz, the move reveals a deeper issue: how bureaucratic bottlenecks and outdated infrastructure overseen by Uncle Sam are compromising the ability of airlines to offer a hassle-free flying experience across the country.

As the Senate considers the One Big Beautiful Bill Act — which includes provisions to upgrade air traffic control technology — lawmakers should pair modernization with a renewed emphasis on the free market and private industry. Cutting unnecessary government red tape will open the door to a new golden age for air travel.

The modern air travel industry is among the most competitive sectors in the world — driving 5% of U.S. GDP and contributing nearly $1.5 trillion to the economy each year. But this hasn’t always been the case. In the mid-twentieth century, as commercial air travel gained popularity, flying remained prohibitively expensive with limited routes and little pricing flexibility.

That all changed with the Airline Deregulation Act of 1978. Signed into law by President Jimmy Carter, the landmark policy stripped away federal, bureaucratic control over routes, fares, and market entry. This unleashed a wave of competition that lowered ticket prices, expanded destinations and sparked decades of innovation.

Fast-forward to today, and the U.S. aviation sector boasts over a dozen airline companies, directly employing more than 1 million people. These businesses provide a la carte services that help keep base fares affordable and air travel widely accessible. Because of this free market dynamic, the cost to fly has fallen by roughly half over the past four decades and nearly 9 in 10 Americans have flown in their lifetimes. That’s more than a 35% jump since the 1970s.

While competition in the aviation sector has flourished since the federal government stopped micromanaging fares, routes and who gets to fly, Uncle Sam still controls the country’s aviation infrastructure and workforce that operates it. On this front, the federal government has fallen flat on its face.

As most Americans have seen unfold on the news, decades old air traffic control systems — which use paper flight strips, floppy disks, and World War Two-era radars — are delaying flights and disrupting service. And a nationwide shortage of air traffic controllers is adding another layer of dysfunction. Recent chaos at Newark and Atlanta airports underscores the consequences of a system operating on fumes and skeleton staff.

The budget reconciliation package moving through the Senate is a critical step toward rectifying the current mess. It would set aside $12.5 billion for critical aviation infrastructure upgrades and boost hiring. Specifically, the framework would upgrade radars, telecommunications systems and air traffic control towers — greasing the wheels of the aviation industry and allowing airlines to compete more effectively to the benefit of passengers.

Modernizing systems combined with bolstering the workforce will allow the Federal Aviation Administration to lift caps on takeoffs and landings at busy airports. Expanding capacity will give airlines the opportunity to better compete for consumer business without all the headaches. When consumers have more options across multiple airlines offering rival destinations and schedules, passengers win.

In parallel, the Trump administration and lawmakers should be cautious about the transportation regulatory state creeping back in other areas. Policies pushed by former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg are prime examples that jeopardize competitive free market mechanisms and the passenger experience. Micromanaging when and how payments are processed, seating assignments and other amenities are lessons in what not to do.

Modernizing aviation systems and supercharging air traffic controller hiring should be delivered with a fresh commitment to fostering free market competition. Doing so will make flying more affordable and accessible than ever before.

Jackson Shedelbower is the executive director of the Center for Transportation Policy.