United Airlines spent $540,000 lobbying in 1Q

The airline lobbied on legislation dealing with funding for the Federal Aviation Administration, pension issues, greenhouse gas emissions, security matters, passenger service and more, according to the form posted online April 18 by the House clerk's office.

United, which is owned by Chicago-based UAL Corp., spent more than $2.4 million to lobby the federal government in 2007.

The general aviation industry and commercial airlines disagree over how much each should have to pay for upgrading the nation's air traffic control system and other aviation programs. Congress has approved a temporary measure to continue FAA funding through June, but the larger issue of reauthorizing the agency is unresolved.

The House passed a bill in September that would have increased the jet fuel tax for noncommercial planes, the aviation gasoline tax and the cap on fees airports charge passengers for capital improvements. Commercial airlines and the Bush administration say the bill does not fairly link fees to system use, but the aircraft owners' association and other general aviation groups oppose user fees.

The Senate was working on similar legislation, but debate on it stopped last week after most Republicans said they were barred from freely offering amendments and blocked an effort to move it forward -a vote that could doom action on the bill this year.

The state of New York passed an air travelers' bill of rights to give some recourse and relief to consumers, who've suffered through hours-long tarmac waits and thousands of cancellations this year. But it was struck down in March when an appeals court sided with industry representatives who argued that federal regulations, not state efforts, should be the rule. Still, similar provisions are in the House bill.

Besides Congress, United lobbied the Transportation Department in the first three months of the year.