The Federal Aviation Administration is considering enacting new safety standards that could put small air carriers like Dallas-based JSX out of business if implemented.
JSX has accused American Airlines, Southwest Airlines, and industry trade unions of pressuring federal aviation regulators to overhaul public charter safety standards in an effort to stymie competition and regulate small boutique private out of the market.
“The truth is that two huge airlines — American and Southwest — and their labor union leaders — have been lobbying the FAA, TSA, and elected officials in Washington D.C. with misinformation and unsubstantiated safety claims in a brazen attempt to regulate JSX out of business,” JSX said in a press release provided to The Dallas Express.
“In fact, JSX has a flawless safety record and far exceeds applicable safety, security, and regulatory standards. By any measure, JSX has a better safety, security, and operating record than they do,” the carrier claimed.
JSX further alleged there would be a significant reduction in the number of carriers travelers can book flights with if such regulations go into effect.
“Unlike us, these airlines would rather win through political influence than compete fairly,” JSX said in a call-to-action soliciting personal anecdotes and testimonies from customers that could be sent to the FAA and Texas politicians. “If these airlines and labor groups succeed, JSX will be forced out of business.”
For their part, American Airlines and Southwest have claimed that emerging carriers like JSX operate under “less stringent regulatory requirements” in order to achieve a greater “competitive advantage,” The Dallas Morning News reported.
Additionally, American Airlines alleged in a letter to the U.S. Department of Transportation that boutique carriers like JSX exploit a public charter loophole that allows them to fly a published schedule with a smaller aircraft.
“There needs to be one level of safety for anyone flying on a scheduled passenger carrier,” said Southwest spokesperson Chris Perry, per the DMN.
According to JSX, American Airlines has an 86% market share at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, and Southwest has a 96% market share at Love Field.
“This is a de facto duopoly in Dallas that they surely want to preserve,” JSX said, per the press release. “That they’d stoop to trying to convince regulators and lawmakers that safety is in jeopardy, in order to maintain their duopoly, is shameful.”
