Allied Pilots Association Expresses Opposition to Cabotage; Pilots' Union Cites Negative Impact on U.S. Economy, Safety Standards.Business Editors FORT WORTH, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 11, 2004 The Allied Pilots Association (APA (All Points Addressable) Refers to an array (bitmapped screen, matrix, etc.) in which all bits or cells can be individually manipulated. APA - Application Portability Architecture ), collective bargaining agent for the 13,500 pilots of American Airlines (NYSE NYSE See: New York Stock Exchange :AMR (1) (Adaptive Multi-Rate) A variable rate speech codec selected by the 3GPP for the 3G evolution of the GSM cellphone system (WCDMA). Using the Algebraic CELP (ACELP) compression technology, AMR provides toll quality sound at transmission rates from 4.75 to 12. ), spoke out against granting European Union carriers the right to fly domestically within the U.S. -- a practice known as cabotage cab·o·tage n. 1. Trade or navigation in coastal waters. 2. The exclusive right of a country to operate the air traffic within its territory. . The union's comments coincided with the resumption of "Open Skies" negotiations between the U.S. and the EU. During these talks, the EU has repeatedly asked for cabotage rights. "Cabotage could well trigger widespread outsourcing of jobs in our country's aviation industry, and it could also threaten safety and security standards," said Captain John E. Darrah, APA President. Currently, U.S. Code stipulates that the Secretary of Transportation may allow cabotage if it is only in the public interest when 1) The traffic cannot be accommodated by U.S. carriers because of an emergency created by unusual circumstances, 2) All possible efforts have been made to use U.S. carriers, and 3) The transportation is necessary to avoid undue hardship. Prohibitions against cabotage are longstanding, dating back almost to the airline industry's inception. For example, the Federal Aviation Act of 1958 includes the following language: "Foreign civil aircraft permitted to navigate in the United States ... shall not take on at any point within the United States, persons, property, or mail carried for compensation or hire and destined des·tine tr.v. des·tined, des·tin·ing, des·tines 1. To determine beforehand; preordain: a foolish scheme destined to fail; a film destined to become a classic. 2. for another point within the United States." "At a time when our nation's airlines continue to struggle in the aftermath of the September 11 terrorist attacks, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) Definition Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) is the first emergent and highly transmissible viral disease to appear during the twenty-first century. , and skyrocketing fuel prices, it's inconceivable that we would even entertain permitting cabotage. The airline industry has already lost more than 100,000 jobs in the past two and a half years," said Darrah. "We should instead be focusing on ways to strengthen this industry, which is vital to the overall health of our economy." Founded in 1963, APA is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas Fort Worth is the fifth-largest city in the state of Texas, 18th-largest city in the United States[1], and voted one of "America’s Most Livable Communities. . |
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