Babbitt: White House makes it official

Here’s the White House press release announcing the nomination of Randy Babbitt as the next administrator of the FAA.

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Back from Arizona

I’m back in Washington after a good couple of days in Phoenix. Thanks to US Airways for hosting this media event — and especially for inviting bloggers and other social media folks and recognizing the increasingly important role we play in the media universe. The US Airways corporate communications office put on a great program.
It [...]

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“World’s Most Alienating Airport”

I couldn’t resist sharing this gem of a video from The Onion:
Prague’s Franz Kafka International Named World’s Most Alienating Airport

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US Airways on perimeter restrictions at DCA, LGA

TEMPE — On most policy issues at the national level, airlines work through their trade association, ATA. Yesterday, I asked C. A. Howlett, US Airways senior VP for public affairs, about what issues he works on that the ATA does not get very involved in. “The biggest issue that is US Airways-specific is the Reagan [...]

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“There’s no part of our operation that government can’t find a way to improve.”

TEMPE — Echoing Doug Parker’s plea for the government to “do no harm” to the airline industry, C. A. Howlett, US Airways’ top government affairs officer, outlined the challenges the industry — and US Airways in particular — face in the policy environment. His primary focus was the pending FAA reauthorization bill. Put off since [...]

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US Airways’ Doug Parker on challenges for the airline industry

TEMPE — US Airways chairman and CEO Doug Parker opened the airline’s annual media day with remarks on the state of the airline industry, pointing out financial, political, and labor-related challenges in the year ahead and calling on airline managers to change the way they think about industry competition.
Parker has long been an apostle of [...]

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Breaking: Randy Babbitt picked for FAA

TEMPE — Just heard from one of the other bloggers here that former Air Line Pilots Association head Randy Babbitt has been picked to lead the Federal Aviation Administration. Here’s the news as reported in the Wall Street Journal.

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Continental’s Kellner (and US’s Parker) revisit reregulation

TEMPE — US Airways’ media day program is about to begin, but I wanted to share this non-US related interview by Loren Steffy from the Houston Chronicle:

Larry Kellner served me a cup of coffee with the aplomb of a veteran flight attendant, and then, a few moments later, served up a stunning comment about the [...]

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Evan on the road

I’m writing from Tempe, Arizona, where I’ll be attending US Airways’ media day tomorrow. I’m looking forward to meeting and interviewing US Airways officials, as well as meeting with the other aviation reporters and bloggers gathered here. Watch this space for posts tomorrow from US Airways’ HQ.

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Final order on BAA break-up

As expected, the UK Competition Commission has finally released its order on breaking up British airport behemoth BAA. (Warning: very large PDF.) I’ve blogged a number of times on this issue in the past, and these posts will be good places to start if you’re new to the issue. Here are the key remedies for [...]

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