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Alaskan Congressman Don Young spoke with Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood last night after meeting with representatives from the National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA), including Rick Thompson, President of NATCA in Alaska.  Congressman Young and his former colleague, Secretary LaHood, discussed the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) plan to move Alaskan engineers to Seattle as part of their Engineering Services Efficiencies Plan.

“Secretary LaHood and I have long history of serving together in Congress, and I have great respect for him,” said Rep. Young.  ”I am very optimistic about how the new administration is going to handle this issue.  When President Obama was in the Senate, he opposed this consolidation effort by the FAA, and I trust that stance will continue into his Presidency. 

“Those who have been trained and who work in Alaska are an incredible asset to our state, and I think it is a big mistake to relocate them.  This consolidation means a loss of 50 jobs to our state and the loss of those trained specifically to deal with a state where air travel is the only means of transportation to 70% of the area.  I strongly encourage the FAA to revisit this plan and carefully weigh the consequences of this consolidation, and consider the loss to the State of Alaska.

“I am hopeful and optimistic that Congress and the Administration will be able to bring the FAA back to the negotiating table with the Air Traffic Controllers, and negotiate their new contract in good faith.”         

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