[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 29 (Wednesday, March 16, 1994)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: March 16, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                       USAIR--BRITISH GOVERNMENT

                                 ______


                      HON. WILLIAM F. CLINGER, JR.

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, March 16, 1994

  Mr. CLINGER. Mr. Speaker, on Monday, March 14, 1994, Pennsylvania 
Governor Robert Casey addressed a letter to President Clinton, urging 
our Government to permit USAir to continue its code-sharing agreement 
with British Airways. The Governor also encouraged the President not to 
renounce our air services agreement with Great Britain.
  USAir is one of Pennsylvania's largest employers and is the principal 
air carrier serving Pittsburgh and Philadelphia. Renouncing the code-
sharing agreement would have dire economic consequences on the 
financial viability of USAir and would seriously threaten good-paying 
jobs of over 15,000 men and women who live and work in Pennsylvania.
  I join with the Governor, urging the President not to cancel the 
code-sharing agreement and to continue negotiations with the British 
Government. At this point, I ask that the Governor's letter be 
reprinted in full.
                                     Commonwealth of Pennsylvania,


                                       Office of the Governor,

                                    Harrisburg, PA, March 14, 1994
     Hon. William J. Clinton,
     President of the United States, The White House, Washington, 
         DC.
       Dear Mr. President: I am writing to encourage the U.S. 
     Department of Transportation to act favorably upon USAir's 
     renewal application for code sharing with British Airways. In 
     addition, I urge your administration not to renounce the 
     Bermuda II agreement.
       The failure to renew code sharing could seriously 
     jeopardize international service between Pennsylvania's two 
     largest cities, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, and London. 
     These routes, which encourage international trade and 
     investment in Pennsylvania, would not be viable without the 
     code share passengers.
       The prospective loss of code sharing, as provided for under 
     the 1991 treaty, would be a blow to the vitality of the new 
     Midfield Terminal at the Pittsburgh International Airport. 
     Without the advantages of code sharing, there would be no 
     incentive for British Airways to continue maintaining service 
     to Pittsburgh.
       USAir is the second largest private employer in 
     southwestern Pennsylvania with more than 12,000 full- and 
     part-time employees. Including the more than 2,300 employees 
     in the Philadelphia region, USAir's total Pennsylvania work 
     force is approximately 15,600. The airline has an annual 
     economic impact in Pennsylvania of $10.9 billion.
       The Pittsburgh International Airport is USAir Group's 
     largest hub operation with more than 450 daily flights.
       A decision to renounce the existing bilateral agreement 
     between the United States and the United Kingdom would have a 
     direct and negative economic impact on USAir and, 
     consequently, on the Commonwealth. This could end the hope of 
     any new service between the two countries, and might cause 
     the discontinuance of current services provided by British 
     Airways under terms of its agreement with USAir.
       The immediate effect of renunciation of the Bermuda II 
     agreement would be to jeopardize the jobs of more than 400 
     USAir employees operating British Airways flights under ``wet 
     lease'' agreements.
       The second and third stages of British Airways' planned 
     investment in USAir could also be threatened by actions of 
     the U.S. Department of Transportation.
       I know that the federal government would not lightly 
     consider the renunciation of an active trade agreement. 
     Nevertheless, as the federal government reaches decisions on 
     these matters, I can not stress enough the importance of the 
     USAir-British Airways alliance to the future economic growth 
     of the Pittsburgh region and all of Pennsylvania.
       Thank you for your consideration of this important matter.
           Sincerely,
                                                  Robert P. Casey,
     Governor.

                          ____________________