University of Virginia Library

C.A.B. Fare Ruling Inspires
Student Petition Campaigns

By Fred Heblich

A first-year man at the
University, Dean Baim, is forming a
committee here to save the youth
fares for airline travel.

Dean Baim is inviting students
to circulate a petition protesting
the decision of the Civil Aeronautics
Board to eliminate youth fares.
This ruling by the C.A.B. is
scheduled to take effect February
20, but the Board has agreed to
review the decision.

As hearings will begin February
26, Mr. Baim feels it is still not too
late to do something. All interested
persons should contact him at 108
scheduled eliminate 89.

Princeton Movement

Meanwhile, a group of students
at Princeton University are trying
to ignite a nationwide movement to
show that students all across the
country are upset by the C.A.B.'s
decision to eliminate the special
rates offered by airlines to persons
under 22 years of age.

The students began the
campaign after speaking with
Arthur Present, the C.A.B.
examiner whose ruling called for an
end to the special fares. Mr. Present
said he ruled against the fares
because they violated the Federal
Aviation Act of 1958, which
prohibits "unreasonable"
discrimination in fares. According
to the Aviation Act, for
discrimination in fares. to exist,
passengers must be charged
different amounts for
"substantially similar" services.

Dissimilar Services

The student group argues that
the services a student receives are
dissimilar to the services received
by full-fare passengers; he faces the
inconveniences of flying without
reservations, the possibility of not
being served a meal if there is a
shortage of food on the plane, and
the unavailability of the special
fares during periods of peak traffic.

Bus Complaint

The move to eliminate the
special airlines fares was initiated
by a complaint by Transcontinental
Bus Systems Inc. against the
airline's youth reductions. The
decision, according to Mr. Present,
the C.A.B. examiner, was based on
court rulings that equality should
be "paramount." From these
rulings he recommended that
everyone should be required to pay
the full fare.

There is widespread concern
that if this ruling goes into effect,
special rates given to families and
small groups would also be in
danger. Besides the youth fares,
many airlines also offer special
discounts for weekend excursions,
and to businessmen who wish to
take their wives along on business
trips.

Since it was introduced three
years ago, the youth program has
had great response. In the last fiscal
year more then 5.8 million people
made use of the plan which gives a
one-third to one-half discount off
the regular rates. Termination of
this program would mean the
return to less expensive travel
accommodations by many of the
people presently using the youth
fare plan.

"Trumped Up Charges"

"It is obvious to us," the
Princeton students have written,
"that the charges of discrimination
have been trumped up by the bus
companies in an attempt to
discourage young people from
flying and to force them to travel
by bus. This blatantly
profit-motivated act which totally
disregards the general welfare of
millions of young people can not be
permitted."

A telephone call to the
Charlottesville terminal of
Continental Trailways revealed that
the bus corporation offers
discounts to persons between the
ages of 5 and 11, and to persons
living overseas, a fact that is not
widely known. A person living
overseas may purchase a ticket
which will enable him to travel
anytime anywhere, and as
much as he wishes in the United
States for 99 days.