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Under this definition, for example, Northeast and Colonial Airlines were always considered trunk airline (not even regional in the sense that Delta and Continental were) because of grandfather rights. Or perhaps in the case of Colonial, because there were several relatively long-haul segments. Because each was classified as a trunk airline they were discussed and regulated as being of that category despite the fact that they were in fact local service carriers in all but name.

Today there are 13 regional air carriers. Most have operated for 15 years, the first certificates being awarded in 1945. The growth figures I have given you previously confirm, I believe, that we are neither little nor young. At the pace the air transportation industry travels, we have come to a level of maturity which is substantial in nature in a relatively short period. Yet, we continue to be considered by the Civil Aeronautics Board, by the Federal Aviation Agency and the Air Transport Association as junior members of the club at best, if not at times outsiders.

Our problems are not different from the domestic trunk airlines' problems although there are obviously some different ramifications. We have identical problems in the fields of labor, financing, traffic control, maintenance, community and public relations, and we have more problems in the field of government regulation. Yet we are faced constantly with separate meetings, separate discussions, and separate appearances on problems of equal concern to us with the domestic trunks. For example, during September the trunk airline presidents made a presentation to the Civil Aeronautics Board of the problems of the domestic trunk line industry. Regional carriers made a similar presentation, but separately.

It is impossible to consider the problems of one group independently; anything one group does has a direct influence on the other, and vice versa. For example, a change in air traffic control procedures for jet aircraft in the 20,000 ft. and above altitudes has a direct bearing on air traffic control procedures for regional service flight since the jets obviously have to come below 20,000 ft. in order to complete their flights.

Another example in our own industry association was the presentation to the Civil Aeronautics Board by representatives of the domestic trunks airlines of the intricacies of flight scheduling. The study was exceedingly well presented. But it is noteworthy that no regional airline was invited to participate. As I believe I can prove to you in the discussion of the air traffic control problem at a later point, the problems of flight scheduling are as intricate and as important to regional carriers as to the trunk airlines.

A further example of the extremes to which federal regulation by definition can take one is the instance of Keene, N. H. The citizens of Keene are not eligible to receive subsidy for service provided by Northeast Airlines. Yet taxpayers must support the citizens of Keene to the tune of two, optimum-times round trips per day on Mohawk, no matter what the cost.


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