Faced with widespread uncertainty about an industry threatened by growing regulatory burdens, the specter of increased security fees and scope-clause restrictions, the Regional Airline Association did its best to lend some perspective and a sense of harmony during its annual convention, held May 12 to 15 in Nashville, Tenn. So despite the gloomy picture the lull in the economy and a modest drop in convention attendance appeared to paint, RAA president Debby McElroy continued to stress the resilience regional airlines have shown during the past nine months, blending guarded optimism with calls for vigilance in the days and months ahead.
While RAA tried to buoy spirits with reminders of the regionals’ strong traffic performance compared with their major airline counterparts, it left little doubt about the hard work it hopes all its members will lend to its efforts toward maintaining the industry’s relatively strong position. On the top of the agenda stand scope-clause concerns and security mandates, a pair of persistent challenges on which RAA has expended most of its lobbying energy lately.
