DALLAS, Jun 14, 2006/ FW/ --- ‘U.S. Airline Industry: NOT For Sale’ says a statement from the Association of Flight Attendants who started a grassroots movement to stop the Bush Administration from selling our ‘friendly skies’ to foreign investors.

As part of the fashion press who at least 4 times a year move around the world for six weeks to attend the fashion season, the news that ‘the Bush Administration bypassed Congress and arbitrarily set a rule that changes long-standing aviation law that does not allow foreign control of U.S. airlines and their operations,’ is disturbing to say the least.

Pre-Sep 11, traveling on business was actually enjoyable – no long lines, check in was a breeze since I don’t check in luggage and I have time to enjoy a cup of coffee at the Admiral’s Club.

Post Sep 11, it did not matter if you were traveling coach or business class. The line was long at the security gate, and you have to be at the airport TWO hours before your flight simply because you spend your time standing in line just to go to your gate after you have all your luggage checked!

All right, that one, though I absolutely abhor the waiting, I can understand. It is all about security. And I want to be safe when I fly. But, when TSA told me that I COULDN’T bring even ONE can of hairspray, that was actually the end of the rope for me.

To some, hairspray is not that important. But, to a fashion person, it really is. No bad hair days for the fashion press. Everyone is expected to look impeccable when they attend the fashion shows.

So, no hairspray in my luggage means that every city I go to, I have to buy one. It’s cheap, but it is the principle behind it that the Department of Homeland Security even put grooming tools on the list of ‘contrabands.’

So, after putting up with this thing, including not being allowed to bring a lighter on the plane because it can be a terrorist tool, news comes out that the Bush Administration is selling our airline industry.

Has George W. Bush gone daft? He created the Department of Homeland Security, and then all of a sudden he is selling our airlines to foreign investors. He might as well sell the airlines to Osama Bin Laden, who by all accounts was born a billionaire.

What happened to the war on terrorism? Or, has the almighty dollar and PAC money won over it already. We lost the war on terrorism without even leaving our own soil.

But, enough on terrorism, we’ve heard so many stories about it. I believe the more relevant statement is, ‘Selling our airline industry to foreign investors will actually allow foreigners to control our mail system, the sending and receiving of goods and services and of course, a vital part of the transportation industry.

The airline industry is so important that if an airline crew – from pilots to flight attendants to mechanics – go on strike, the White House can intervene and tell the strikers to go back to work or go to jail.

Then, all of a sudden, we are selling our airline industry? Maybe, it’s true, Dubya has gone totally daft!