Airlines Fighting Back

The little one who is a frequent flier received this today from an airline. Thought it might be of interest.

An Open Letter to All Airline Customers



Our country is facing a possible sharp economic downturn because of

skyrocketing

oil and fuel prices, but by pulling together, we can all do something

to help now.



For airlines, ultra-expensive fuel means thousands of lost jobs and

severe reductions in air service to both large and small communities.

To the broader economy, oil prices mean slower activity and widespread

economic pain. This pain can be alleviated, and that is why we are

taking the extraordinary step of writing this joint letter to our

customers.



Since high oil prices are partly a response to normal market forces,

the nation needs to focus on increased energy supplies and

conservation. However, there is another side to this story because

normal market forces are being dangerously amplified by poorly

regulated market speculation.



Twenty years ago, 21 percent of oil contracts were purchased by

speculators who trade oil on paper with no intention of ever taking

delivery. Today, oil speculators purchase 66 percent of all oil

futures contracts, and that reflects just the transactions that are

known.



Speculators buy up large amounts of oil and then sell it to each

other again and again. A barrel of oil may trade 20-plus times before

it is delivered and used; the price goes up with each trade and

consumers pick up the final tab. Some market experts estimate that

current prices reflect as much as $30 to $60 per barrel in unnecessary

speculative costs.



Over seventy years ago, Congress established regulations to control

excessive, largely unchecked market speculation and manipulation.

However, over the past two decades, these regulatory limits have been

weakened or removed. We believe that restoring and enforcing these

limits, along with several other modest measures, will provide more

disclosure, transparency and sound market oversight. Together, these

reforms will help cool the over-heated oil market and permit the

economy to prosper.



The nation needs to pull together to reform the oil markets and solve

this growing problem.



We need your help. Get more information and contact Congress by

visiting www.StopOilSpeculationNow.com/sos.





Sincerely,





Robert Fornaro

Chairman, President and CEO

AirTran Airways, Inc.



Bill Ayer

Chairman, President and CEO

Alaska Airlines, Inc.





Gerard J. Arpey

Chairman, President and CEO

American Airlines, Inc.



Lawrence W. Kellner

Chairman and CEO

Continental Airlines, Inc.





Richard Anderson

CEO

Delta Air Lines, Inc.



Mark B. Dunkerley

President and CEO

Hawaiian Airlines, Inc.





Dave Barger

CEO

JetBlue Airways Corporation



Timothy E. Hoeksema

Chairman, President and CEO

Midwest Airlines





Douglas M. Steenland

President and CEO

Northwest Airlines, Inc.



Gary Kelly

Chairman and CEO

Southwest Airlines Co.





Glenn F. Tilton

Chairman, President and CEO

United Airlines, Inc.



Douglas Parker

Chairman and CEO

US Airways Group, Inc.