Airlines for America Commends Bipartisan Effort for Answers on Abu Dhabi Agreement

[Grandpa +65]

Airlines for America Commends Bipartisan Effort for Answers on Abu Dhabi Agreement

Senators send letter raising significant concerns; questioning DHS?s authority to enter into agreement with UAE
Press Release: Airlines for America (A4A) ? Fri, May 10, 2013 11:21 AM EDT

Ailines for America ( A4A), the industry trade organization for the leading U.S. airlines, today commends a group of bipartisan senators for demanding answers on the Department of Homeland Security?s (DHS) decision to establish a preclearance facility at Abu Dhabi International Airport, going against recent direction from Congress and enabling a foreign government to pay for core security functions. In a letter to DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano, Senators Dan Coats (R-IN), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and nine of their colleagues expressed significant concerns over the agency?s authority to enter into the agreement, as well as the dangerous precedent it sets.
In April, DHS directly defied Congress? clear guidance in the FY 2013 continuing appropriations act by signing an agreement to establish a customs preclearance facility in Abu Dhabi Airport, a facility no U.S. carrier serves. Domestic Customs and Border Protection (CBP) facilities are partially funded by the airlines and passengers entering the United States through $1.5 billion in annual taxes they pay.
?We question whether the Department has the authorization to enter into such an agreement, and we are concerned by the precedent being set by the department?s actions,? the letter notes. ?By establishing a foreign funded preclearance operation at an airport with so little traffic bound for the United States, we question whether the Department is choosing preclearance locations based on risk or based on a pay-to-play process.?
No U.S. airlines fly to Abu Dhabi, and only one state-owned Middle Eastern carrier serves the U.S. from Abu Dhabi.
Reducing wait times at U.S. airports should be a top priority of DHS and CBP -- not using U.S. tax dollars to benefit a foreign government, particularly when wait times at U.S. points of entry continue to be excessive,? said A4A President and CEO Nicholas E. Calio. ?We thank Senators Dan Coats (R-IN) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) for their bipartisan leadership to demand answers over this ill-conceived decision, which harms U.S. citizens, jobs, the economy and the global competitiveness of the U.S. airline industry.?
A4A recently launched a campaign calling on the Department of Homeland Security to drop its plan to provide preclearance U.S. national security services at Abu Dhabi International Airport. Joining A4A in this national call to action are the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA), Airports Council International ? North America (ACI-NA), Consumer Travel Alliance, Global Business Travel Association (GBTA), and the Regional Airline Association (RAA). The campaign?s website www.DrawtheLineHere.com invites Americans to sign a petition. Hundreds of letters from concerned citizens have already been delivered to the White House and DHS.

ABOUT A4A
Annually, commercial aviation helps drive more than $1 trillion in U.S. economic activity and more than 10 million U.S. jobs. A4A airline members and their affiliates transport more than 90 percent of all U.S. airline passenger and cargo traffic. America needs a cohesive National Airline Policy that will support the integral role the nation?s airlines play in connecting people and goods globally, spur the nation?s economic growth and create more high-paying jobs.

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/airlines-america-commends-bipartisan-effort-152100889.html

 

[General Lee]

It appears certain politicians in the US think a US custom facility "way over there" isn't "for sale", especially since no US airlines go there.... Homeland Security will be getting an earful from the Senators I'm sure.

Qatar just offered to build a new ICAO headquarters in Doha, and wanted to move everyone out of the current Montreal headquarters. Luckily the US and Canada refused to participate. I guess everything is not for sale.


Bye Bye---General Lee

 

[BILL LUMBERG]

The ICAO move isn't decided yet.....it could still happen.

They are moving in to try and take everything over.....world domination without firing a shot.

 

[dicko]

Perhaps R.A. should start competing instead of bitching ? Put a 777 on the route to Abu Dhabi and make use of that excellent customs pre-clearance station. We'll see how well Deltas Business Elite compares to a 3 Class Etihad service.

 

[General Lee]

Perhaps R.A. should start competing instead of bitching ? Put a 777 on the route to Abu Dhabi and make use of that excellent customs pre-clearance station. We'll see how well Deltas Business Elite compares to a 3 Class Etihad service.

Do you want to go to Abu Dhabi? Not many from the States do. Most of the people going to the different Emirates (Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, etc) are going there as laborers to help build the massive infrastructure that is going on there, many from Nepal, India, Pakistan, etc. Other than that, most passengers use those cities as transit hubs. So, not too many O&D pax, except Dubai, where DL does have a daily 777 that does fill up. Even UAL doesn't go to Abu Dhabi, rather Dubai, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Doha. Zero US pax Carriers, because it's not that popular of an O&D city. Got it yet?


So......... If you want to hitch a ride to a place that has Arizona heat plus Florida humidity in the Summertime, go for it! But Abu Dhabi probably doesn't need this facility.


Bye Bye---General Lee

 

[BILL LUMBERG]

Perhaps R.A. should start competing instead of bitching ? Put a 777 on the route to Abu Dhabi and make use of that excellent customs pre-clearance station. We'll see how well Deltas Business Elite compares to a 3 Class Etihad service.

Yeah, that makes sense. Compete head to head with a government subsidy....

Stick to being a Sheetstirrer Dicko....route management is not your game.

 

[dicko]

Yeah, that makes sense. Compete head to head with a government subsidy....

Stick to being a Sheetstirrer Dicko....route management is not your game.

Meh ..... Government subsidy versus multiple trips through bankruptcy and the RLA. Each airline is stacking the deck as far and as fast as it can. None play fair, and the crying over this terrible inequity is laughable.

If Delta can't compete with the "Government subsidy" why do they fly to Dubai ? Or is Abu Dhabi special ? Meanwhile, we have geniuses like The General asserting that nobody wants to go to Abu Dhabi. If that's the case, why is Etihad filling 777s to the U.S with some very high yield passengers ?

Write your congressmen Bill. Mr. Anderson is counting on you. It worked with the LGA slot swap deal. Remember ? The deal that resulted in a fleet of RJs flying those routes instead of you.

RA would rather whine and codeshare. He doesn't want to compete with Delta metal, flown by Delta pilots.

 

[General Lee]

Meh ..... Government subsidy versus multiple trips through bankruptcy and the RLA. Each airline is stacking the deck as far and as fast as it can. None play fair, and the crying over this terrible inequity is laughable.

If Delta can't compete with the "Government subsidy" why do they fly to Dubai ? Or is Abu Dhabi special ? Meanwhile, we have geniuses like The General asserting that nobody wants to go to Abu Dhabi. If that's the case, why is Etihad filling 777s to the U.S with some very high yield passengers ?

Write your congressmen Bill. Mr. Anderson is counting on you. It worked with the LGA slot swap deal. Remember ? The deal that resulted in a fleet of RJs flying those routes instead of you.

RA would rather whine and codeshare. He doesn't want to compete with Delta metal, flown by Delta pilots.

Dicko,

You aren't a genius. Abu Dhabi is the capital of the UAE, but Dubai is the largest city. Etihad does fill 777s to the US from there, but not full of residents from Abu Dhabi, rather connections from places like India, Pakistan, etc. DL wouldn't fill a 777 probably to Abu Dhabi, and they wouldn't connect pax there or continue onto Pakistan. Understand yet? No US airline goes to Abu Dhabi for a reason, not enough O&D pax, yet Homeland Security wants to set up an entry point there. Again, Etihad connects people through there, and they are owned by their Gov't.

Hopefully you can read the above and try to understand. And, DL service is getting better, with new lie flat seats, menus, and inflight entertainment options. Regardless, that doesn't matter to you, which is obvious.


Bye Bye---General Lee

 

[flyboyike]

I guess everything is not for sale.

Oh sure it is, General, some things are just more expensive than others.

Reminds me of a very old joke. A tourist group is walking through Paris. The guide explains:

-Over there we have women for 300 franks, over there for 500 and over there for 1200.

One of the tourists:

-Don't you have any decent women in Paris?

The guide:

-Oh, oui, monsieur, of course we do, but they cost much, much more.

 

[dicko]

General,

Try to use your powers of decuctive reasoning instead of spewing the company line.

Why are British Airways, KLM, Lufthansa and Virgin Australia all flying into Abu Dhabi ? Does Lufthansa pick up local passengers and take them onwards to Pakistan ? The answer is no.

You've been baffled again by R.A. and DALPA. There's no money in flying your own passengers.

 

[General Lee]

General,

Try to use your powers of decuctive reasoning instead of spewing the company line.

Why are British Airways, KLM, Lufthansa and Virgin Australia all flying into Abu Dhabi ? Does Lufthansa pick up local passengers and take them onwards to Pakistan ? The answer is no.

You've been baffled again by R.A. and DALPA. There's no money in flying your own passengers.

Virgin Australia is a codeshare partner with Etihad, hence why they go there, not to bring Australians to Abu Dhabi, rather allow connections to Europe that Virgin Australia cannot do themselves. Same with Qantas and Emirates(at Dubai). BA, KLM, and LH don't even fly their biggest planes into Abu Dhabi, they do it to offer some service. Dubai gets the bigger equipment, kinda like DL going to Dubai also.

You see, this thread is about how Abu Dhabi isn't viable to have a US Custom facility there. It makes sense, not enough US traffic to warrant that. Even Dubai only has 2 US airlines that go there (DL/UA). That's just not enough. Sorry, you're still wrong. But, go outside and find some people that for some reason want to go to Abu Dhabi only, not continue onward. It may take awhile.



Bye Bye---General Lee

 

[dicko]

Virgin Australia is a codeshare partner with Etihad, hence why they go there, not to bring Australians to Abu Dhabi, rather allow connections to Europe that Virgin Australia cannot do themselves. Same with Qantas and Emirates. BA, KLM, and LH don't even fly their biggest planes into Abu Dhabi, they do it to offer some service. Dubai gets the bigger equipment, kinda like DL going to Dubai also.

You see, this thread is about how Abu Dhabi isn't viable to have a US Custom facility there. It makes sense, not enough US traffic to warrant that. Even Dubai only has 2 US airlines that go there (DL/UA). That's just not enough. Sorry, you're still wrong. But, go outside and find some people that for some reason want to go to Abu Dhabi only, not continue onward. It may take awhile.



Bye Bye---General Lee

Ahh. I see you've returned from your ice cream gorging trip to the Orient.

Let me summarize your ever evolving argument as to why Delta won't fly an airplane to Abu Dhabi:

1. Lufthansa, KLM, V Australia and B.A. only fly 777s and A330s there .... so it's not a big deal and there isn't anybody who wants to go there in the U.S.

2. Lufthansa has doubled it's capacity on the route due to a 14% increase in revenue because nobody wants to go there. Lufthansa's flights return to Germany filled with these non existent passengers.

3. All Australians are continuing on to Pakistan from Abu Dhabi. Nobody is actually going to Abu Dhabi.

4. Etihad flies thousands of passengers a week from the U.S. to Abu Dhabi but none of them are actually going there and there is no money in flying people to or through Abu Dhabi.

I surrender General. Nobody goes to Abu Dhabi. There is no money in it. Here's what you're competing with:

http://www.etihad.com/en-au/experience-etihad/on-board/diamond-first-class/

 

[General Lee]

Ahh. I see you've returned from your ice cream gorging trip to the Orient.

Let me summarize your ever evolving argument as to why Delta won't fly an airplane to Abu Dhabi:

1. Lufthansa, KLM, V Australia and B.A. only fly 777s and A330s there .... so it's not a big deal and there isn't anybody who wants to go there in the U.S.

2. Lufthansa has doubled it's capacity on the route due to a 14% increase in revenue because nobody wants to go there. Lufthansa's flights return to Germany filled with these non existent passengers.

3. All Australians are continuing on to Pakistan from Abu Dhabi. Nobody is actually going to Abu Dhabi.

4. Etihad flies thousands of passengers a week from the U.S. to Abu Dhabi but none of them are actually going there and there is no money in flying people to or through Abu Dhabi.

I surrender General. Nobody goes to Abu Dhabi. There is no money in it. Here's what you're competing with:

http://www.etihad.com/en-au/experience-etihad/on-board/diamond-first-class/

Okay, let me get this straight, how many people from the US go there? How many Americans go via the ME to Europe? Answer: very few, if any. How about Americans flying to Asia via Abu Dhabi or anywhere in the ME? Zero.... So, the main group of Americans going through the ME hubs are heading to India and Pakistan, otherwise they are back tracking, and that just doesn't happen.

The ME hubs are a threat to the European airlines, they have to compete because Europeans going to SE Asia, Australia, etc can go through the ME, so BA, LH, KL, AF etc have to throw flights up against the ME carriers to just try to capture any local traffic somehow going to those Sandpits. It's better than yeilding all traffic to them.

Lufthansa flies a 744 to Dubai daily from FRA, while Emirates has 3 777s. To the other gulf cities, Lufthansa has 1 daily A333 to Abu Dhabi nonstop, and another single A333 to Doha that continues onto Bahrain. Did you say they doubled their capacity? I don't think so. They might have had an A380 to DXB, but the cut capacity to a 744. And the A330-300 to the other gulf cities is the smallest widebody they have.

I never said Virgin Australia only connects people in AUH to Pakistan. Nope. They connect onward to Europe, just like Qantas is doing in Dubai with Emirates. They don't want to add planes to fight. Funny thing is, countries in Europe are getting protective, and limiting ME airlines with restrictions. Why? Because the ME airlines have nothing to give back in return. The Sandpit is just that, and only a limited number of people want to go there and stay there each day. Germany and France limit the number of cities they can go to in each country. Canada limits them to 3 flights a week into one city. Austria just told Emirates that they couldn't get anymore extra flights, no A380s to Vienna, and they wouldn't accept the Qantas/Emirates Joint Venture.

There is no doubt Etihad makes some money flying people to or through AUH. But, the are Gov't sponsored, can somehow order $50 billion in new planes(?), and the area has PDA laws that are "interesting." Do you want to go there, with the heat and humidity, and the law against kissing your spouse in public? You probably don't have a spouse, so you might fit in. Bring SPF 150 sunscreen and enjoy it, maybe you can fly "Diamond Class" for $400.... Go for it!



Bye Bye---General Lee

 

[sniper]

Perhaps R.A. should start competing instead of bitching ? Put a 777 on the route to Abu Dhabi and make use of that excellent customs pre-clearance station. We'll see how well Deltas Business Elite compares to a 3 Class Etihad service.

Are you wearing your emiratee wardrobe as well?

Fu-- the 3 Gulf airlines ....EE and Q
Fly your planes anywhere else but the US of A

 

[Varmint]

ALPA and this group sure stopped a lot. Dubai next in line for a US customs pre-clearance facility after the one that would never be allowed to open in Abu Dhabi, actually opens.

http://gulfnews.com/business/aviation/coming-soon-clear-us-customs-at-dubai-international-1.1283050

 

[KarmaPolice]

Money talks in the USA, and the spineless walk. Solid middle class jobs will continue to be outsourced to the ME. And, as a slap in the face, on this site, and elsewhere, we have 777 flying big shot expats bragging about their "QOL" and superior product, as if they were geniuses for undercutting their neighbors and countrymen.

 

[Varmint]

Money talks in the USA, and the spineless walk. Solid middle class jobs will continue to be outsourced to the ME. And, as a slap in the face, on this site, and elsewhere, we have 777 flying big shot expats bragging about their "QOL" and superior product, as if they were geniuses for undercutting their neighbors and countrymen.

While you may interpret many of the facts as "bragging", on the flip side of the coin you have guys who can't fathom why someone would go overseas to work or why someone would do something differently from what they envision. If someone plays dirty pool and throw insults and make fun of someone for deciding to work in a location/company that they would not have chosen, then the "facts" and "benefits" of working at such a place will probably come out in a retort.

The jobs here are middle class also....wouldn't a shortage of pilots in the US enhanced by outsourcing to the middle east actually benefit wages/conditions at US carriers rather than hurt them?

 

[SIG600]

While you may interpret many of the facts as "bragging", on the flip side of the coin you have guys who can't fathom why someone would go overseas to work or why someone would do something differently from what they envision. If someone plays dirty pool and throw insults and make fun of someone for deciding to work in a location/company that they would not have chosen, then the "facts" and "benefits" of working at such a place will probably come out in a retort.

The jobs here are middle class also....wouldn't a shortage of pilots in the US enhanced by outsourcing to the middle east actually benefit wages/conditions at US carriers rather than hurt them?

Not when those State sponsored carriers are Circumventing US labor laws. Can Delta pay third world ramp workers from Pakistan $5/day? Can United tell flight attendants they're done flying at 27 thus keeping the FA pool younger and paid less? How's that pilots union working out at Emirates, Qatar, etc.? Feel like you'll be ok if you happen to have a bad day? Management got your back since there is no union? Gonna get that upgrade in seniority order?

Let's not forget major ($160 billion) aircraft purchases with gov't money, which is then FINANCED with US taxpayer dollars, at interest rates US carriers can't get.

I could go on, but what you postulate is an assembly line worker moving to China to do the same job, taking his job and the industry with him, then wondering why all his old friends back home hate him.

 

[madjack]

Dicko is right, DL should Compete in that market: bring high yield ME pax to US...even state run carriers want to make a profit and competition in UAE would be healthy..the $$$ are in the ME oil countries and the US wants to facilitate travel to the US to get those petro dollars in the country...

 

[Noserider76]

In return did we get a customs pre clearance facility in the US for The UAE? If not, why?