Featured Posts – National Air Carrier Association

NACA Statement on Executive Order on Promoting Competition in the American Economy

July 9, 2021/in Featured Posts, News /by Dan Stohr

In response to President Biden’s “Executive Order on Promoting Competition in the American Economy,” issued July 9, 2021, NACA President and CEO George Novak issued the following statement:

NACA applauds the Administration for issuing today’s Executive Order promoting the interests of American workers, businesses and consumers. NACA air carriers strongly support the rights of passengers to choose their airlines, passenger services and airports at fair prices in a fully open and competitive atmosphere.

We particularly welcome the review of policies that have prevented millions of working families in the largest and most concentrated markets from accessing rock-bottom fares and expanded service options to smaller and rural airports and popular leisure destinations. NACA’s ultra-low-cost carrier members – Allegiant Air, Frontier Airlines, Spirit Airlines and Sun Country Airlines – welcome the opportunity to compete for Americans’ business in an open and transparent market.

NACA Statement on Executive Order Impacting Commercial Aviation

July 7, 2021/in Featured Posts, News /by Dan Stohr

On July 7, 2021, NACA President and CEO George Novak issued the following statement in response to press inquiries regarding a potential Executive Order impacting the commercial aviation industry:

NACA understands that the administration will be issuing an Executive Order within the next few weeks that will expand consumer protection in a number of industries, including aviation. In part, it will implement a number of outstanding consumer mandates from the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018, including a requirement that passenger carriers refund to passengers any ancillary fees paid for services that were not provided. Under this mandate, when baggage is not provided within 12 hours for domestic flights — or 24 hours for international flights — fees charged for carrying the bags must be refunded.

NACA’s members have always believed that consumers should be fully educated about their options and have the ability to select the services they purchase when traveling. We also understand and are pleased that the Executive Order will direct the Department of Transportation to review its airline competition policies, including currently restricted access to slots in congested markets that have hampered passenger choice among airlines.

NACA urges FAA to make unruly passenger policy permanent

June 30, 2021/in Featured Posts, News /by Dan Stohr

The National Air Carrier Association, which represents the nation’s four ultra-low cost carriers, Allegiant Air, Frontier Airlines, Spirit Airlines and Sun Country Airlines, strongly believes that the FAA’s “Zero Tolerance” policy for unruly passengers who refuse to follow aircrew directions or become violent should be made permanent. Passenger behavior is a critical safety issue, and actions that threaten the safety of passengers and crew cannot be tolerated.

“We’re asking the FAA to take the next logical step on passenger safety,” said NACA President and CEO George Novak. “The laws regarding unruly passengers are already on the books and keeping our flight crewmembers and fellow passengers safe is a policy that should not have an expiration date. The zero-tolerance policy against actions that threaten the safety of passengers and crew really should be permanent.”

“As air traffic volume increases with the removal of pandemic travel restrictions, some delays and a few flight cancellations may be inevitable,” Novak continued. “It’s important that the traveling public be aware, be prepared, and be highly respectful of the flight crews and airport staff that are responsible for their safety. Making the zero-tolerance policy permanent will send a strong signal that those who willfully break the law will be punished. We believe this will greatly reduce the number of incidents over time.”

NACA Joins Coalition Urging Criminal Prosecution for Unruly Passengers

June 22, 2021/in Featured Posts, News /by Dan Stohr

On June 21, 2021, NACA joined a coalition of U.S. aviation stakeholders, including passenger airlines, pilots and flight attendants, to urge United States Attorney General Merrick Garland to swiftly prosecute cases of unruly passenger behavior.

“The safety of our passengers and flight crewmembers is our top priority,” said NACA President and CEO George Novak. “We commend the FAA for implementing a ‘zero-tolerance policy’ in an effort to curb unruly passenger incidents on commercial flights, including the imposition of robust civil penalties. To make this policy a more effective deterrent, NACA urges the Department of Justice to criminally prosecute, where appropriate, passengers who interfere with the duties of our dedicated crewmembers.”

The coalition sent a letter with these requests to Attorney General Garland, which can be read here.

NACA congratulates FAA Associate Administrator for Safety Ali Bahrami on his retirement

June 3, 2021/in Featured Posts, News /by Dan Stohr

In light of the announcement that FAA Associate Administrator for Safety Ali Bahrami will be retiring June 30, 2021, NACA President and CEO George Novak issued the following statement:

“NACA congratulates FAA Associate Administrator for Safety Ali Bahrami on his retirement from the agency. Ali’s leadership, dedication, and collaborative work throughout his distinguished public and private sector career have helped to advance the safety of global civil aviation by validating new commercial aircraft systems and promoting international cooperation on aviation safety issues. More than half a billion passengers fly safely in the United States every year through the efforts of Ali and his team. As a result of the bold and dynamic initiatives he championed as the nation’s top aviation safety official, the United States will continue to set the gold standard for aviation safety across the globe. We are grateful for his public service and wish him all the best in his retirement.”

NACA promotes summer travel with DHS/TSA

May 25, 2021/in Featured Posts, News /by Dan Stohr

NACA President and CEO George Novak participated in a press conference to promote summer travel organized by the Department of Homeland Security and the Transportation Security Administration on May 25.

“To the traveling public … welcome back … it has felt like a long time coming,” Novak said. “As we have during the pandemic, we’re continuing our work to ensure the safest and most secure travel experience possible in close consultation with our partners at the CDC, TSA, DHS, and FAA.”

Novak also highlighted the significant uptick in disruptive passengers onboard aircraft and issued a stern warning regarding the FAA’s policy:

The FAA and the industry have instituted a “zero-tolerance” policy in prosecuting any individual that does not follow flight crew instructions or becomes physically abusive. We support the FAA 100% in this effort. Our flight crews are there for the safety and security of everyone on the aircraft. They are protecting you, your families and your fellow passengers. We must all show them the proper respect and understanding as we resume traveling.

Read the full text of Novak’s remarks as prepared for delivery here.

Read TSA’s Press Release here.

Speakers at the event included:

Alejandro N. Mayorkas, Secretary of Homeland Security
Darby LaJoye, Senior Official Performing the Duties of the TSA Administrator
Nick Calio, Airlines for America
Kevin Burke, Airports Council International – North America
Joel Bacon, American Association of Airport Executives
George Novak, National Air Carrier Association
Roger Dow, U.S. Travel Association

Left to right: Darby LaJoye, Senior Official Performing the Duties of the TSA Administrator; Nick Calio, Airlines for America; Alejandro N. Mayorkas, Secretary of Homeland Security; Kevin Burke, Airports Council International – North America; George Novak, National Air Carrier Association; Roger Dow, U.S. Travel Association; and Joel Bacon, American Association of Airport Executives

NACA Supports Making Green Aviation Greener

May 18, 2021/in Featured Posts, News /by Dan Stohr

Today NACA joined a coalition of aviation and manufacturing associations to urge congressional leaders to pass a wide range of legislative initiatives helping an already green aviation industry become even greener. The proposals focus on four key areas:

Sustainable Aviation Fuel development, production and distribution
Low/no emission technologies deployment
Aviation environmental research and development
Air traffic management modernization

NACA’s member carriers are driven to be highly fuel- and carbon-efficient and help lead our nation’s fight against climate change. By offering more passenger seating than other airlines on similarly-sized aircraft, the nation’s five ultra-low cost carriers – Avelo Airlines, Allegiant Air, Frontier Airlines, Spirit Airlines and Sun Country Airlines – have the lowest fuel consumption per seat in the United States. We believe these legislative initiatives will enhance the U.S. airline industry’s ongoing efforts to reduce its carbon footprint and would pay near- and long-term dividends in the battle against climate change.

A copy of the letter and legislative initiatives can be found here.

NACA Opposes USPS Plan for Reducing Air Carriage of First Class Mail

March 24, 2021/in Featured Posts, News /by Dan Stohr

In response to Postmaster General DeJoy’s announced plan for the U.S. Postal Service, “Delivering for America,” NACA President and CEO George Novak issued the following statement:

NACA strongly opposes the proposed service reductions for the U.S. Postal Service put forward by Postmaster General DeJoy. He appears to be drawing upon flawed logic and bad data regarding service delays to provide an external scapegoat – air carriers – to account for internal processing delays.

Reductions in First Class Mail air service will have an unquestionably deleterious effect on mail delivery – particularly to rural areas – slowing and degrading an already poor record of service. In fact, contrary to standard business practice in every successful organization, the proposal seems premised on taking customer complaints about service and deliberately making a bad situation worse, increasing costs and delivery backlogs.

Furthermore, the proposal will necessarily involve putting many more trucks on the nation’s roads, dramatically increasing traffic congestion everywhere, along with an accompanying increase in greenhouse gas emissions. Added environmental costs make an already unjustifiable business decision completely untenable. And the cost to taxpayers will be substantial, essentially subsidizing further losses in a misguided effort.

We strongly urge Congress to step in and rescind Postmaster General DeJoy’s plan. Congress has a Constitutional mandate to “establish Post Offices and Post Roads.” This proposal hardly fulfills that Constitutional obligation.

NACA Applauds Special Enforcement Emphasis Program Extension

March 16, 2021/in Featured Posts, News /by Dan Stohr

In response to the March 15 announcement that FA Administrator Steve Dickson was ordering the extension of the FAA’s Special Enforcement Emphasis Program indefinitely, NACA President and CEO George Novak issued the following statement:

The National Air Carrier Association applauds the decision by FAA Administrator Steve Dickson to extend the FAA’s Special Emphasis Enforcement Program against unruly passengers indefinitely. Unruly passenger incidents — which remain at an alarmingly high level — truly put public health and the safety of our aircrews at risk. Zero tolerance enforcement is a necessary step to deter these incidents and we support the decision to keep the program in place at least as long as the implementing TSA Security Directive is in place.

NACA sent Administrator Dickson a letter last week, urging him to take this common-sense step. We look forward to working with the Administrator, the unions, other aviation stakeholders and the traveling public to put in place the appropriate educational and informational measures that will bring this problem under control and ensure public health and safety — particularly the safety of our aircrews, whose contributions are critically important during this trying time.

NACA Joins Travel Coalition Opposing Pre-Departure Testing Requirement for Domestic Air Travel

February 1, 2021/in Featured Posts, News /by Dan Stohr

NACA joined a coalition of 23 travel, aviation and manufacturing associations to send a letter to COVID-19 Recovery Team Coordinator Jeffrey Zients January 29, 2021, opposing the imposition of a pre-departure testing requirement for domestic air travel.

The letter states in part:

We strongly support many aspects of the Executive Order, such as the Federal mask mandate for interstate travel and pre-departure testing for international arriving passengers. However, we are concerned by recent media reports that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is considering a pre-departure testing requirement for domestic air travel. The industry remains committed to supporting risk-based, scientific approaches to contagion mitigation.

…

Given the strong scientific evidence that the risk of COVID-19 transmission onboard an aircraft is very low, we believe that a testing requirement for domestic air travel is unwarranted. Further, public health and economic data indicate that this policy would disproportionately prevent low-income travelers and rural Americans in small communities from travel. They may have less access to testing facilities, which could cause further job loss and economic harm to the most devastated sectors of the economy, who will need air service to take part in recovery. Therefore, the costs and consequences of a testing requirement for domestic air travel would far outweigh any potential benefits.

Read the full letter here.