Future of Aviation Advisory Committee Archives

Sometimes the best action is to take none, which is precisely the route I chose last week when many people were falling over themselves to tell outgoing Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood how much they appreciated his past four years on the job. No criticism on my part for their actions though. Industry groups do what they have to do to operate successfully in DC.

Me, I’m just glad LaHood is on the way out. LaHood was an Illinois Congressman before President Obama plucked him off the Hill in 2009 to watch over the transportation industry. His transportation experience at the time … service on the House transportation and infrastructure committee.

While LaHaood was awash in accolades last week for his consumer work, I’d suggest everyone take a deep breath and look at the record. The consumer protections of the Don’t leave passengers sitting all night on an airline ramp without food or water Bill actually evolved because of the lobbying efforts of one lady mostly — Kate Hanni of Flyers Rights.org, not Mr. LaHood. And to credit LaHood with a win because delays are down is beyond silly. Overall air traffic is down nearly 30% since 9/11 for starters. Then of course, the flyers rights bill convinced airlines it was easier to cancel flights when the weather threatened, also leading to less traffic. LaHood had nothing to do with any of that.

And let’s not forget his brilliant Future of Aviation Advisory Committee (FAAC) in 2010, designed to provide leadership and vision to the industry. Great PR for the Secretary, but tell me what the work of all those experts actually accomplished? Our president still thinks business airplanes are toys and should pay accordingly. Thanks for that Ray. And as to that recent FAA reversal of strategy on Boeing’s 787 — first the airplane was safe, but in need of a top to bottom certification review and then a week later the airplane was grounded because it wasn’t safe? Those moves didn’t come from FAA. They had LaHood’s fingerprints all over them.