Wirt,
It sucks so much in the U.S., and our people are such a**holes,
I suggest you move here...
http://www.fas.org/news/iraq/2000/02/iraq99.htm
-----Original Message-----
From: Wirt Atmar [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Tuesday, March 11, 2003 11:49 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: [HP3000-L] OT: Airline industry collapse probable
That dastardly Saddam is now likely to eliminate each and every
American's God-given rights to fly whenever and wherever they want on
commercial airlines, a new report from the Air Transportation
Association suggests. It's clear that we need to eliminate Saddam, his
threat, his country, and perhaps the whole region if necessary to keep
our air transportation system healthy.
God didn't give America and Americans the power to dictate to the world
what is right, just and moral, only to have us inconvenienced by
excessive airport delays. The evil-doers need to be brought to justice,
dead or alive, with or without the legal niceties of a trial.
God bless our president, George W. Bush, and our brave fighting men and
women, wherever they are.
Let us prey.
Wirt Atmar
======================================
WASHINGTON (March 11) - A war in Iraq plus a major terrorist attack
would cause the largest U.S. airlines to lose $13 billion and could
collapse the whole industry, according to a report released Tuesday by
the Air Transport Association.
The government's decision to raise the nation's terror alert status to
orange last month produced a 20 percent decline in advance bookings
despite fares that are at 15-year lows, according to the association,
which represents the largest air carriers. The alert has since been
lowered to yellow.
A terrorist attack similar in scope to Sept. 11, 2001, coupled with war,
could lead to 100,000 more job cuts and elimination of 3,800 daily
flights, many to small and medium communities. That could cost the
airlines $13 billion, the report said.
''The mere prospect of war with Iraq has already further weakened this
industry, which is literally struggling to survive,'' the report said.
''The government can and should act with dispatch to reduce the burdens
currently imposed on the airline industry.''
The first Gulf War led to the liquidation of Eastern Pan American
airlines. Now, two of the nation's largest airlines are in bankruptcy -
United Airlines and US Airways - and all others except Southwest
Airlines are losing money.
Among other things, the airlines want the government to pick up more of
the increased cost of security.
Congress stepped in after the Sept. 11 attacks, granting airlines $5
billion in cash and $10 billion in loan guarantees to offset losses from
four days of groundings and passengers' reluctance to fly. The Federal
Aviation Administration also issued war risk insurance to airlines after
private insurance became too expensive.
Earlier this year, lawmakers and the Bush administration expressed
reluctance to grant further relief to the airline industry, saying
market forces should be allowed to work.
Major airlines lost $7.7 billion in 2001 and more than $10 billion in
2002. The airlines blamed security requirements for $4.1 billion of that
loss, including indirect costs such as background checks, security
equipment, ramp security and aircraft inspections, as well as direct
payments to the federal government through a $2.50 passenger tax and
assessments for security.
Since the Sept. 11 attacks, major airlines have cut 100,000 jobs,
slashed in-flight food service, hedged fuel costs, closed reservation
centers, installed automatic check-in kiosks and changed flight
schedules at hubs to use planes more efficiently.
AP-NY-03-11-03 1311EST
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