US Airways spent $410K lobbying gov't in 3Q

WASHINGTON - US Airways Group Inc. spent $410,000 lobbying in the third quarter on the cap-and-trade energy proposal and aviation regulation issues, according to a recent disclosure report.

The carrier said it lobbied on climate change and proposals for a cap-and-trade system aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The Senate took up a cap-and-trade bill last week. The legislation aims to limit the amount of pollution businesses can do, while selling permits for emissions. Airlines have opposed it, saying it amounts to a tax on fuel-intensive industries.

Meanwhile, jet fuel prices still have airlines' attention more than a year after oil prices spiked to record levels. US Airways lobbied on bills aimed at curbing what they have called speculation in energy markets, "and to otherwise address the severe industry crisis resulting from the rapid rise in fuel costs."

Airlines have supported the idea of measures that would curb bets on oil prices by traders who aren't using energy futures to hedge actual petroleum use.

US Airways, based in Tempe, Ariz., also lobbied on a House bill that would allow additional flights beyond the restricted area around Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. That's a key issue for US Airways, which is gaining 42 slot pairs at Reagan in a deal with Delta Air Lines Inc.

US Airways also lobbied on reauthorization for the Federal Aviation Administration, as well as air cargo security issues, aircraft engineering, flight operations and maintenance issues.

Besides Congress, the airline lobbied the departments of Homeland Security and Transportation in the July-September period, according to the Oct. 20 report with the House clerk's office.

Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.