Strategic Policy
Airlines for America Congratulates President-Elect Biden and Vice President-Elect Harris
November 24, 2020
The U.S. Airline Industry Looks Forward to Collaborating with the Transition Team and Incoming Administration to Speed the U.S. Recovery
WASHINGTON, November 24, 2020 – Airlines for America (A4A), the industry trade organization for the leading U.S. airlines, congratulates President-Elect Joe Biden and Vice President-Elect Kamala Harris on their historic election. A4A and its member carriers look forward to collaborating with the new administration to help speed the recovery of our industry, the nation and the world from the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We commend President-Elect Biden and Vice President-Elect Harris on their hard-fought election, and we stand ready to work with them during this challenging time for the country and our industry,” said A4A President and CEO Nicholas E. Calio. “U.S. airlines have always been critical to the nation’s economy and infrastructure, and we have continued to provide essential services such as transporting medical personnel, supplies and equipment throughout this global health crisis. Our role is about to get even more critical as cargo and passenger carriers prepare to deliver vaccines to people across the U.S. and around the world.”
Throughout the pandemic, air carriers have been doing everything possible to protect the jobs of the men and women who are directly employed by U.S. airlines – including pilots, flight attendants, gate agents and mechanics – as well as the 10 million jobs supported by the industry.
“Our employees are the backbone of the industry and our greatest resource. We look forward to working with the Biden-Harris transition team to help make an extension of the successful Payroll Support Program a reality and ensure that our carriers continue serving communities and delivering crucial cargo, especially vaccines,” Calio continued. “The U.S. airline industry is in dire need of immediate federal assistance as the current economic environment is simply not sustainable. Airlines can help lead our nation’s economic recovery, but in order to get to that point, Washington must act.”
Prior to the pandemic, U.S. airlines were transporting a record 2.5 million passengers and 58,000 tons of cargo per day. As travel restrictions and stay-at-home orders were implemented, demand for air travel declined sharply with passenger volumes plummeting 96 percent to a level not seen since before the dawn of the jet age. Carriers have been forced to cut flights and are burning $180 million in cash every day just to stay in operation. The rapid spread of COVID-19 along with government and business-imposed restrictions on air travel continue to have an unprecedented and debilitating impact on the U.S. airlines, their employees and the traveling and shipping public.