LaHood & Deputy Join OneJet, Talk Economic Rebuilding & Airline Consolidation

(Original source Business Travel News) 

“Ray LaHood, U.S. Secretary of Transportation from 2009 to 2013, joined U.S. regional air transportation network OneJet as a senior advisor in late August, following his deputy secretary, John Porcari, who became an advisor for the company earlier this year. Both LaHood and Porcari spoke with BTNtransportation editor Michael B. Baker about the model’s potential effect on corporate travel growth.

What moved you to get involved with OneJet?

John Porcari: Pittsburgh is one of the cities OneJet is serving and one of the cities interested in being a focus city down the road at some point. It’s a great example of a community on the rebound that’s rebuilding its economic base and they need this tool, direct air service. OneJet allows these cities to fight above their weight and … their business communities to thrive. If you look at some of the markets like Memphis, which has lost more than 70 percent of its air service, there’s clearly a huge need for additional service. In my personal opinion, the airline industry has consolidated too much, and it’s been to the detriment of cities throughout the United States. Air service is the economic lifeblood of these communities, and OneJet is filling a need that the consolidated major airlines no longer wish to or are able to.”

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