The Waterbury Democrat., 1946-06-25
Small Air Carriers Hit Mail Rotes

New York, June 26-(UP)-The Institute of Air Transportation, an organization composed of 76 non- scheduled airlines, offered to carry the U. s. mail for three cents an ounce today and demanded Con- gressional investigation of present airmail and freight rates.
 In newspaper advertisements, the non-scheduled airlines, composed mostly of small companies owned by war veterans, suggested to the President, Congress and the Civil Aeronautics Authority that they be allowed to serve the public of the United States by: 1. Carrying air mail at three cents base rate; 2. carrying air parcel post at rates considerably below those now pre- vailing."
 The Institute, which is headed by Brig. .-Gen. Lawrence J. Carr, re- tired, asserted that control and reg ulation of the non-scheduled air. lines by the Civil Aeronautics Board, which begins Aug. 1, would put the lines out of business.
 Agree On Rules
 The fixed base carriers" as the Institute referred to the non-sched- uled carriers, welcome conformity to safety, maintenance and person. mel standards set by CAB, the In- stitute said. But the restrictive measures which the board would impose would put them out of business merely because vested in- terests fear future competition, the TAT charged.
 The restrictive measures. as listed by the carriers prohibit "so- hcitation of general business, ad- vertising flight information and in formation to the public about serv- ices offered"
 The CAB also would limit point to point flights to 10 8 month, re- strict such limited operations to the North American continent and would prohibit all over-water inter- national flights, the TAT said.
 The TAT said the fixed base car- riers could transport mail at three cents an ounce and make money at 1t. This figure is in sharp contrast to the rates charged by established airlines which average from 45 cents ton emile upward. The carriers also proposed freight rates at 10 cents 8 ton mile, compared to an average of 20 cents charged by most scheduled lines.
 Six Freedoms Asked
 In addition, the TAT demanded six freedoms of the air for the fixed base carriers.
 These were:
 l. Freedom to fly as many trips as traffic will bear between any two places not regularly served now by other air transportation systems.
 3. Freedom to solicit general gen. eral business.
 3. Freedom to advertise flight in- formation.
 4. Freedom to disseminate in- formation to the public about serv- ices offered.
 5. Freedom to engage in interna- tional operations.
 6. Freedom to fly a maximum of 20 round-trip passenger flights or 800 hours month, whichever is highest, between any two points regularly served now by other air transportation systems as a needed supplementary service.
 'The fixed base carriers have pi- oneered the first all freight air service. therefore they should be able to engage in air freight trans portation without any traffic re- strictions," the TAT concluded.
 Lines represented by the TAT in- clude Air Transport Operators, Inc, of California; New England Air Carriers; Contract Carriers Asso- citation of Florida: the Midwestern Air Carriers and the East Coast Fixed Base Air Carriers.