Pilots' union takes flight subsidy fight to Reagan airport

[Omaha Steve]

Source: The Hill

By Keith Laing

The Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) union is taking the fight over foreign airline flight subsidies that has roiled the nation's aviation industry to Washington, D.C.'s Ronald Reagan National Airport.

The union said Wednesday that is launching a new campaign called "A Deal Is A Deal" to persuade lawmakers, who frequently fly through Reagan airport, to look into allegations that Middle Eastern airlines are receiving unfair subsidies from their home governments.

The pilots' union and other groups with ties to major U.S. airlines have alleged that Middle Eastern competitors like Emirates Airlines and Qatar and Etihad airways are receiving payments that violate the spirit of the Open Skies agreements between the U.S. and the governments of Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, which own the Gulf airlines.

The pilots' union said Wednesday that it is running ads at Washington, D.C.'s Reagan airport, which does not have international flights, but is popular with lawmakers, to spread the word about the alleged Open Skies violations. The union said the ads will also run in Capitol Hill publications and online this fall.

FULL story at link.


Getty Images

Read more: http://thehill.com/policy/transportation/253090-pilots-union-takes-flight-subsidy-fight-to-reagan-airport

[MyNameGoesHere]

1. I never heard of this airport The Hill article references

I only know of Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. And yes I complain every time a metro operator doesn't say it correctly.
And if I fly, Dulles or BWI/Thurgood Marshall are close enough. Fuck ronnies airport

[architect359]

3. Hmpf! I still refuse to say its new name

Its always been Washington National or DCA. I know a number of Metro operators that still call it by the pre-RR designation.

Whenever I fly into DC - its DCA all the way. From there, I jump on the Metro and I toodle on my way. IAD or BWI is too far for me.

But I hear what you're saying - especially the last part.

[Sen. Walter Sobchak]

2. That any of these basket case airlines still exist is an unfair subsidy

With the exception of Canada in any other bankruptcy system in the western world the American Aeroflots would have been liquidated years ago.