No Talking Planes... Just The Facts

You knew this was coming. Just over one week after the Air Transport Association unveiled a commercial claiming airline delays are caused by general aviation aircraft, the Alliance for Aviation Across America is fighting back with an ad of its own, that soundly refutes the ATA's "distortions and half-truths."

As ANN reported, the ATA commercial -- a slickly computer-animated ad, featuring a fleet of talking aircraft -- claims "that hot shot there is clogging up the skies," as a business jet jumps to the front of the line of airliners waiting to depart.

"Right. Like that really happens," the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association tells ANN. AOPA is a member of the board for the Alliance, a coalition of general aviation groups, local airports, economic development organizations, and rural groups opposed to user fees.

• Watch The Alliance's Ad Here

While the Alliance's ad lacks the polished, Pixar-like graphics of the ATA's missive -- as well as its cartoonish, toy-store-ready characters -- it makes up for presenting in simple facts.

"At the nation's busiest airports, small airplanes make up less than four percent of the traffic," the Alliance ad states, "and Department of Transportation studies show that almost all delays are caused by weather and the airlines themselves." The ad also points out the airlines are trying for yet another tax break.

AOPA President Phil Boyer says the ad conveys the simple truth -- no talking, cowboy-hat-wearing 747s needed.

"I'm disappointed that the airlines have resorted to outright lies, misrepresentation and distortion," said Boyer. "We had hoped we could maintain an honest debate on the facts. Rest assured, AOPA, the Alliance for Aviation Across America, and all of the general aviation organizations will use every available resource to make sure that Congress and the American public understand the truth of how our aviation system works."

The Alliance ads started appearing Tuesday on CNN's Airport Network... the same channel, available only inside airport terminals, on which the airlines are airing their commercial.

May the most truthful ad win.

FMI: www.aopa.org, www.aviationacrossamerica.org, www.airlines.org