Let the Market Decide ? --- PHL-CAW Response to - Robert Poole's - FAA's threats don't fly - The Washington Times: Commentary - August 27, 2004

Now, with rising fuel costs and rising interest rates the airline industry is asking President Bush to release oil from the strategic reserves. They are asking their labor unions for concessions and they want federal loan guarantees to cover high debt ratios. Let the market decide? Seems like the airlines are having some problems dealing with a deregulated industry and still continue to state expansion will fix everything.

Could it be that the FAA policy mandating competition plans from airport operators have made it so the airlines can no longer make a profit? Maybe the airlines being able to add flights without needing to consider the profound consequences of poor security, infrastructure demands and consumer trust might have had everything to do with the the attacks on September 11, 2001 and problems they are facing now? Some say "lack of imagination" was the contributing factor --Maybe "lack of conscience" or "failed aviation policy" would be the best way to describe the way things are run by (FAA/airline cartels) pre and post 9/11?



"The terrorists lost. Our country showed that we can take a shot in the belly and bounce back." Charles Isdell, director of the Philadelphia Airport System.


Bounce back?
What color is the sky in his world? Last time I checked we are at war and our country is divided politically. The airline industry is in financial ruin and the largest carrier at Philadelphia International (PHL) the nations 7th largest is about to become one of the many airlines to go the way of the dodo as a direct result of the terror attacks. Even though struggling before 9/11 USAIR management claimed that no other airline was harmed more financially by the atacks when they filed for bankruptcy protection in August, 2002.
--snip--
The Arlington-based carrier is the largest airline at Reagan Washington National Airport, which remained closed for weeks after the attacks. In addition, Chiames said, the airline suffered disproportionately when many travelers opted to drive or take the train instead of making short-haul flights up and down the East Coast — US Airways' strength.

Let the market decide...
Yet PHL management and the FAA still makes the claim that they need to redesign the airspace, extend runway 17/35 and then build the equivalent of Los Angeles International (LAX) because of increasing delays. If USAIR does go under won't airport operations at PHL decrease dramatically like they did at Lambert Field (STL) when TWA was absorbed by American Airlines? Is PHL negotiating with another airline to fill the slots or is USAIR going to be sold? What is the plan and when will be we informed? Will the EIS "dream team" consider the financial health of the airport, it's carriers and the wishes of the voters living in the surrounding communities before it makes recommendations to extend and build new runways? Isn't about time they are made to answer our questions?

What comes around, goes around?

They got what they asked for?
The airport and airline cartels wanted deregulation and they may have just lobbied themselves into "deregulated" oblivion.

They got what they asked for?
Presidential Executive Orders that mandate the streamlining of environmental reviews and then it comes back to bite hard at election time. It's only 1000 Ft.?

They got what they asked for?
Kerry ignores 9/11 warnings regarding security @ Logan and then passed the buck on back through the federal bureaucracy. Now he states he can manage our nations security and airports better than Bush?

I will ask again -- why can' t the runways and flight paths be pointed to use the Delaware River? When are they going to answer our questions? It does not have to be that we lose regardless of who wins. It's only two short months until November 2nd and the first round of 17/35 meetings are scheduled for September. Please join us as the first meeting is to be held in Delaware on September 9th, 2004.


Stephen Donato
www.phl-caw.org

When these photos were taken do you think President Bush or the people protesting below really cared about the passengers that save 20 billion annually because of airline competition? Sometimes it has to be about more than just the bottom line when the stakes are this high.

PHL-CAW response to Mr. Poole commentary from April 2004:
Money is Power -- PHL-CAW Response to USATODAY.com - FAA's efforts fall short

Salt Peanuts -- From the 9/11 digital archives. A five minute video about the impact of 9/11 on airline workers. An interview with former US Air flight attendant Joshua Freeze (AFA) is juxtaposed with a dramatization concerning recent government airline bailouts. "Salt Peanuts" was screened in December 2001 at the Museum of Modern Art and at the Art in General Gallery, both in New York City. Produced by Simin Farkhondeh and directed by Alonzo Speight.

The Financial Condition Of The Airline Industry --Sobering testimony from hearing 06-03-04. From 2001 through 2003, the U.S. airline industry has reported net losses of $23.2 billion dollars....

Rough ride ahead -- “Basically, we have too many airlines, with too many expensive hub operations, and right now, too much capacity.” Whether antitrust regulators allow a major consolidation remains unclear. But analysts say that whatever happens, the industry landscape is about to be transformed.


FAA's threats don't fly - The Washington Times: Commentary - August 27, 2004  ¶ 8/31/2004