PLEASE USE THIS DRAFT AS A GUIDE TO ASSIST CUSTOMIZING AND
PERSONALIZING YOUR COMPANY’S VERSION OF AN OPEN SKIES
SUPPORT LETTER
April 24, 2015
The Honorable John F. Kerry
Secretary of State
U.S. Department of State
2201 C Street, NW
Washington, DC 20520
The Honorable Anthony Foxx
Secretary of Transportation
U.S. Department of Transportation
1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
Washington, DC 20590
The Honorable Penny S. Pritzker
Secretary of Commerce
U.S. Department of Commerce
1401 Constitution Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20230
Re:
Request for comments on preserving Open Skies and
ensuring competitive choice for consumers
Docket No. DOS-2015-0016
Docket No. DOT-OST-2015-0082
Docket No. DOC-2015-0001
Dear Secretary Kerry, Secretary Foxx and Secretary Pritzker:
We appreciate the opportunity to comment on the importance of longstanding
Open Skies policy to Central Florida's economy and tourism-related jobs in
our community. We believe it is imperative the Obama Administration's
decision in this matter is guided by the broader national economic interest,
not the narrow self-interest of a few companies.
Tourism is critical to Central Florida generating more than $60 Billion in
economic activity and supporting more than 390,000 jobs last year,
representing over 1/3 of all jobs in Central Florida. In 2014, more than 4.3
million international visitors relied on Orlando International Airport as
their gateway to what we believe is the premier vacation and leisure
destination in the world. The US's Open Skies policy, a hugely successful
economic policy in addition to being smart air service policy, has been
indispensable to Orlando International's success attracting non-stop air
service from numerous destinations in Europe, Canada, Mexico, Central and
South America. For instance, according to the US National Travel Tourism
Office (NTTO)visitors from Brazil to Orlando have soared from 74,000 in 2004
to 768,000 in 2013 and accelerated exponentially after the US Open Skies with
Brazil was finalized.
Our company and Orlando-area tourism partners depend on the international
visitors Open Skies policy continues to deliver to Central Florida. Any
decision that restricts air service access to Central Florida necessarily
harms our business, our current employees and limits our ability to create
new job opportunities.
Delta Airlines, United Airlines and American Airlines' demand that Emirates
Airline's new Orlando-Dubai non-stop flight, scheduled to start on September
1 and Central Florida's first non-stop air service link to the Middle East,
be prohibited is a very troubling case in point. The Greater Orlando
Aviation Authority estimates this flight will produce more that $100 million
in annual economic benefits for Central Florida by stimulating new passenger
traffic. None of these airlines are offering to provide non-stop OrlandoDubai air service instead. In fact, none of them offer any non-stop
international flights to Central Florida. Accordingly, if the Administration
unwisely agrees with their narrow self-interested demand, it could cost our
local community $100 million in annual commercial activity. Obviously, this
would be contrary to the interest of Central Florida.
We are counting on you to be guided by the broader national interest, not the
narrow interest of a few. We believe that focus will lead to the inescapable
conclusion that Open Skies policy has and continues to produce enormous
economic benefits for our country, and any attempt to limit or restrict
existing Open Skies rights is unwise and a policy detour neither Central
Florida nor the US economy can afford.