Let me thank Chairman Inouye for holding today’s hearing on airline mergers and their effect on the flying public. 

 

And let me congratulate Senators Rockefeller and Lott for their leadership positions on the Aviation Subcommittee.  I look forward to working with my new chairman and ranking member as we consider FAA Reauthorization this year.

 

This proposed merger between Delta and US Airways—two largely East Coast airlines—would create the nation’s largest carrier.  It would dominate the market in seventy one U.S. cities, many of them along the Eastern Seaboard.

 

As, my colleagues know, I have a business background.  As a businessman, I learned that taking care of customers and employees is vital for success.  So I view any merger as not only affecting a bottom line, but also for its potential effects on consumers and employees. 

 

When I hear that this merger will create the country’s largest carrier, and management intends to trim the airline’s service by ten percent, keep fares low and not let a single operational employee go, I need some convincing.

 

These two airlines, which are ranked third and seventh in terms of size, are ranked fifteenth and seventeenth, in customer satisfaction, according to the Department of Transportation.

 

Take the shuttles between Washington, D.C. and New York and we can see why:  Sometimes I spend more time on the ground than in the air on those flights.

 

It’s no wonder that more people now ride Amtrak than fly between New York and Washington.  The train is more convenient to use, less hassle in terms of security, and is competitively priced.

 

All travelers should expect high-quality service when they buy a ticket and get on an air plane.

 

So when it comes to this merger—and any other merger before us—we need to know that the management teams are thinking about the long-term interests of their companies along with their customers and employees—not just short-term dreams about inflated stock-prices and golden parachutes.

 

I look forward to hearing from Mr. Grinstein and Mr. Parker, and their plans for promoting the long-term interests of their companies and their customers.

 

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.