Re: “Experts eye charter jet operators — American, Southwest raise alarm over less regulated service model,” Saturday Metro & Business story.

This story repeats claims by airlines and pilot unions that Part 135 charter operators “are allowed to forgo TSA lines and other regulations placed on traditional airlines.” That misrepresents the Part 135 operating environment and perpetuates mischaracterizations of this critical transportation sector.

Part 135 operators follow existing, well-defined Federal Aviation Administration and Transportation Security Administration regulations to offer safe, secure transportation options to countless communities not serviced by the airlines.

For more than 45 years, such carriers have also partnered with public charter entities operating under the Department of Transportation Part 380 public charter regulations. These types of operations do not flout regulations or game the system.

Proposed wide-sweeping changes to public charter regulatory definitions could have unintended negative consequences felt throughout the entire Part 135 industry, disrupting the critical emergency services and powerful economic growth our industry facilitates. Any regulatory examination must be factual, transparent and data-driven — and the facts prove that public charter flights operated by Part 135 carriers provide safe and secure services to diverse communities.

Curt Castagna, Washington, D.C.,
President and CEO, NATA

Original article American Airlines, Southwest Weigh In on JSX’s Less Restrictive Charter Jet Model

For general press inquiries, contact Shannon Chambers at 703-298-1347 or schambers@nata.aero. 

The National Air Transportation Association (NATA) has been the voice of aviation business for more than 80 years. Representing nearly 3,700 aviation businesses, NATA’s member companies provide a broad range of services to general aviation, the airlines and the military and NATA serves as the public policy group representing the interests of aviation businesses before Congress and the federal agencies.