The head of the National Air Transportation Association sent President Barack Obama a letter this week asking him to stop “the populist demonizing” of private aviation.
“It’s time, instead, to support, if only with words, an outstanding American success story,” the letter said.
NATA president James Coyne was referring to Obama’s remarks in his address to Congress last week. “No one wants, as yuo said in your speech, ‘”CEOs to use taxpayer money to … disappear on a private jet,’ but is anyone really doing that — disappearing?”
They’re not disappearing, Coyne said. They’re building their businesses, making investments, evaluating major projects, building morale, making new loans, expanding plants, attracting investors and saving their companies.”
Some say it’s just politics. “Three tin-ear auto executives needed to be criticized, but why shoot every personal airplane out of the sky?” the letter said.
Ryanair, a Dublin-based budget carrier, may be reaching a new height on the fees airlines charge passengers.
It’s considering charging passengers for using the toilet while on board the aircraft.
Its chief executive Michael O’Leary told BBC News recently it was thinking of installing a “coin slot on the toilet door”. What? The airline’s public relations chief later said he doubted it would happen in the foreseeable future. If it does, be sure to stay away from the on-board drinks.
In other fee news, Spirit Airlines this week became the latest airline to charge just for booking travel. The fee does not apply to tickets bought at Spirit’s ticket counters, the South Florida Sun-Sentinel reports.
The airline, based in Miramar, Fla., calls it a “passenger usage fee” of $4.90 each way, the report said. The charge is to help the airline absorb costs of running the company’s website and reservations call center and to keep fares low.
Allegiant Air led the way on the charge. It charges passengers a $13.50 “convenience fee” for booking through its website or reservations line. Phone reservations cost an additional $10 per segment.
