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We are disappointed that DOT squandered an opportunity to enhance competition at slot-constrained airports JFK and DCA, by including highly inadequate divestiture requirements as a condition of the Department’s approval of their anti-competitive alliance. However, we look forward to working with Transportation Secretary nominee Pete Buttigieg — who indicated at his nomination hearing yesterday that he recognizes the benefits to the traveling public of enhancing competition at small and large airports — to improve market access for ULCCs at these and other concentrated markets, lowering fares for travelers.

On December 21, NACA President and CEO George Novak issued the following statement on passage of the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act:

NACA commends Congress for passing the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act with broad bipartisan support, including an extension of the CARES Act Airline Payroll Support Program (PSP). We particularly thank congressional transportation leaders, including Senators Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) and Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Representatives Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.) and Sam Graves (R-Mo.), and their staffs for supporting PSP extension, which protects and helps restore thousands of U.S. airline jobs at a critical time when industry’s employment is at its lowest level in several decades.

On December 8, NACA joined 16 other aviation industry organizations across management and labor to urge the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices to prioritize aviation workers in the next phase of vaccine allocation. The letter states in part:

As you are aware, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), a component of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), has designated aviation workers as essential to maintaining our nation’s critical infrastructure. In addition, aviation workers are also frontline workers who either encounter the traveling public frequently or are required to perform our work in close proximity to our colleagues and require us to be onsite.

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The vaccine distribution effort will be complex and involve extensive collaboration between federal and state governments along with private organizations. To succeed, the United States will need every asset available to perform optimally — including the frontline workers that keep our nation’s safe and efficient air transportation system operational.

Given the scientific, implementation and ethical considerations, we ask that you prioritize these frontline aviation workers in the next phase of vaccine allocation (Phase 1b) after health workers and residents in long term facilities in your upcoming recommendations to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The full text of the letter can be viewed here.

On December 7, NACA joined 14 other aviation associations in a letter urging FCC Commissioners to suspend the auction of frequency spectrum in the 3.7-3.98 GHz band to the telecommunications industry. The letter states in part:

“Moving forward with the auction without fully addressing the potential for harmful interference to radar altimeters, and thus the threat to aviation safety, would be a disservice to the safety of the traveling public and put our nation’s airlines, business and general aviation, and helicopter operations at risk. We ask that the Commission grant the pending Petition for Reconsideration of the Report and Order filed by many of the undersigned and other aviation and aerospace associations and companies by adopting the recommended mitigations before proceeding with the auction.”

The  full text of the letter can be found here.