Open Skies Advocates Pen Letter to Pence

The U.S. Airlines for Open Skies (USAOS) coalition—a smaller band of airlines that advocates for keeping the current framework of the U.S. Open Skies agreements—has written to Vice President-elect Mike Pence in the hopes he will persuade President-elect Donald Trump to keep the status quo.

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The letter was signed by William J. Flynn, President and CEO, Atlas Air Worldwide; David Bronczek, President and CEO, FedEx Express; Robin Hayes, President and CEO, JetBlue Airways; and Mark B. Dunkerley, President and CEO, Hawaiian Airlines Inc.

The foursome believes that the current arrangement benefits U.S. travelers; their U.S. adversaries – American, Delta and United airlines – believe that foreign carriers such as Emirates, Etihad and Qatar are being subsidized by their respective governments, altering the global travel marketplace.

“As members of U.S. Airlines for Open Skies (USAOS), we write to share our strong support for maintaining the global framework of U.S. Open Skies aviation agreements, which support U.S. jobs, reduce costs for airline passengers, facilitate U.S. exports, strengthen our national security, and promote competition in the airline industry,” according to the letter.

“During the last three decades, under the leadership of both Republican and Democratic Administrations, the United States has negotiated Open Skies agreements with more than 100 countries around the world. These agreements eliminate government interference in commercial decisions about the routes, frequency, pricing, and capacity of airline service, both passenger and cargo. They also assure the ability of all U.S. airlines to create comprehensive international networks. Open Skies thus allows airlines to deliver more efficient and cost-effective service to American consumers, businesses and the U.S. government, including the military.”

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The big three legacy carriers have asked the U.S. government to freeze access to U.S. routes for the Gulf airlines.

“In fact,” the CEOs wrote, “freezing U.S. routes would breach Open Skies, harm U.S. airline passengers, and endanger U.S. jobs. It would reduce competition not only on international routes but also in the domestic market by stemming the flow of passengers into the United States that has enabled smaller U.S. airlines to expand service and compete with the legacy carriers. It would also endanger the global networks of U.S. cargo airlines that deliver high-value U.S. exports around the world.”

The four airline CEOs said they formed USAOS to counteract the Partnership for Open and Fair Skies, the umbrella group formed by American, Delta and United. The debate has been ongoing for almost two years with no resolution in sight.

“If the issue remains unresolved at the end of the (Obama) Administration, however, we urge the Trump Administration to reject the demands of the legacy carriers and protect the U.S. Open Skies network for the reasons described in the attached annex,” the letter-writers said to Pence.