BEFORE THE
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY
WASHINGTON, D.C.
In the matter of:
Expanded Cargo and Passenger
Flexibility at Puerto Rican International
Airports
Docket OST-2019-0085
DECLARATION OF RYAN SCHNITZLER
I, Captain Ryan Schnitzler, this 12th day of September, 2019, declare under penalty of perjury:
- I am the Master Chairman of the Delta Master Executive Council (the MEC) of the Air Line Pilots Association, International (ALPA). The MEC represents the 14,000 pilots who fly for Delta Air Lines, Inc. (Delta or the Company).
- The MEC stands with Delta in opposing the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico’s request for extraordinary blanket exemption authority to foreign air carriers.
- While the MEC may differ with the Company on certain joint venture proceedings related to international partner flying, on this issue we stand united with the Company and are committed to protect and grow opportunities for Delta-operated international flying, and associated job and career opportunities for Delta flight crews.
- Delta and its pilots recognize the strong growth opportunities presented by Puerto Rico. On August 30, 2019, the Company announced that it would add more than 3,000 weekly seats to Puerto Rico for the upcoming 2019/2020 Winter Season.[1] These flights include new widebody flying from Atlanta with A330 aircraft, as well as new seasonal service from Delta’s Detroit hub. Altogether, this represents more than a 50 percent increase in seat capacity between the mainland and San Juan by January 2020.
- Delta and its pilots are friends to Puerto Rico, assisting in the recovery effort following Hurricane Maria and flying multiple relief missions. The island is now moving toward full recovery, with visitor traffic at record levels, as evidenced by Delta’s massive increase in capacity this Winter Season.
- However, Delta and the MEC are compelled to disagree with the Commonwealth on this exemption application. Puerto Rico has failed to identify a single actual or potential foreign transfer operation that is currently prohibited under open skies, but would be enabled by this request. Further, Puerto Rico does not deny that its ultimate objective is to obtain cabotage relief for foreign air carriers. Such a result would frustrate and deter future flying and additional capacity expansion by Delta.
- Extending an open invitation for foreign carriers to expand operations on U.S. soil, with the ultimate objective of obtaining cabotage relief for them to operate a quasi-hub at San Juan will not strengthen the competitive position of U.S. air carriers or encourage fair wages and working conditions.
- Pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1746, I declare under penalty of perjury that the foregoing is true and correct.
/s/ Ryan Schnitzler
Capt. Ryan Schnitzler
[1] Delta, Delta Adds Winter Flying from U.S. Hubs to Top Caribbean Destinations (Aug. 30, 2019), available online at:https://pro.delta.com/content/agency/us/en/news/network-update-archive/2019/august-2019/delta-adds-winter-flying-from-u-s–hubs-to-top-caribbean-destina.html.
August 28, 2019
Respectfully submitted,
Ryan Schnitzler,
Chairman
Delta Master Executive Council
AIR LINE PILOTS ASSOCIATION, INTERNATIONAL
CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE
I hereby certify that a copy of the foregoing was served by electronic mail this 28th day of August, 2019, on the following:
Air Carrier Name Email Address
Alaska David Heffernan dheffernan@cozen.com
Allegiant Aaron Goerlich agoerlich@ggh-airlaw.com
American Robert Wirick robert.wirick@aa.com
Amerijet Joan Canny jcanny@amerijet.com
Atlas Russ Pommer rpommer@atlasair.com
Federal Express Ralph Carter rscarter@fedex.com
Federal Express Courtney Felts cefelts@fedex.com
Frontier Howard Diamond howard.diamond@flyfrontier.com
Hawaiian Parker Erkmann perkmann@cooley.com
JetBlue Robert Land robert.land@jetblue.com
Reese Davidson reese.davidson@jetblue.com
Evelyn Sahr esahr@eckertseamans.com
Drew Derco dderco@eckertseamans.com
Kalitta Air Mark Atwood matwood@cozen.com
National Airlines Malcolm Benge mlbenge@zsrlaw.com
John Richardson jrichardson@johnlrichardson.com
Polar Air Cargo Kevin Montgomery kevin.montgomery@polaraircargo.com
Southwest Bob Kneisley bob.kneisley@wnco.com
Leslie Abbott leslie.abbott@wnco.com
Spirit Airlines David Kirstein dkirstein@yklaw.com
Joanne Young jyoung@yklaw.com
Sun Country Brandon Carmack brandon.carmack@suncountry.com
Victoria Palpant victoria.palpant@suncountry.com
United Dan Weiss dan.weiss@united.com
Steve Morrissey steve.morrissey@united.com
Abby Bried abried@jenner.com
Amna Arshad aarshad@jenner.com
UPS Dontai Smalls dsmalls@ups.com
Department of
Transportation Todd Homan todd.homan@dot.gov
Peter Irvine peter.irvine@dot.gov
Brian Hedberg brian.hedberg@dot.gov
Robert Finamore robert.finamore@dot.gov
Brett Kruger brett.kruger@dot.gov
Department of
Justice Kathleen O’Neill kathleen.oneill@usdoj.gov
Caroline Laise caroline.laise@usdoj.gov
Federal Aviation
Administration John Duncan john.s.duncan@faa.gov
AirlineInfo info@airlineinfo.com
/s Ryan Schnitzler
Ryan Schnitzler