Today, Airlines for America issued the following statement in reaction to the brief filed by the U.S. Solicitor General in Virgin America, Inc., v. Julia Bernstein on petition for a Writ of Certiorari:

“The Solicitor General’s brief sends a mixed message.  It recognizes that California’s meal and rest break rules as construed by the Ninth Circuit are incompatible with FAA rules applicable to inflight crews, and agrees that the Ninth Circuit’s analysis of this conflict was ‘misguided,’ yet still recommends against U.S. Supreme Court review. The conflict between federal and state law is a critical issue with nationwide implications, and we hope the Supreme Court will grant review on the merits and reverse the Ninth Circuit’s decision in the Bernstein case, for reasons set forth in Virgin America’s Petition for a Writ of Certiorari and by the many supporting amici, including 19 states.”