Since I wrote that JSX CEO Alex Wilcox had emerged as a leading candidate to head the FAA, there’s been a lot of discussion of this (mostly enthusiastic) across the internet. Some of it appears to just crib from my post. There’s discussion here, here, here and here.
It’s worth pointing out that here is Vice President-elect J.D. Vance stepping off a JSX plane. There’s perhaps little political to read into chartering an aircraft from a carrier that is in the business of providing that service!
However here’s JSX CEO Wilcox with President-elect Trump.
MAGA pic.twitter.com/xPe0JiN7xC
— Alex Wilcox (@alexwilcox) November 6, 2024
Aviation watchdog was first to flag the chatter of Wilcox as a finalist for FAA Administrator.
Someone writes (I have no knowledge of the facts etc):
“Alex Wilcox finalist for FAA…supposedly multiple interviews following JSX doing the Trump campaign charters. Zero experience but what the heck, right?”— JonNYC (@xJonNYC) December 23, 2024
FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker will resign on January 20, the day of President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration. Until a new Administrator is appointed, Assistant Administrator for Finance and Management Mark House is slated to assume the role of acting deputy administrator.
Bringing in Alex Wilcox, an airline industry veteran who was with JetBlue at the beginning, served as President and COO of Indian oneworld member Kingfisher Airlines, and has found a way at JSX to achieve net promoter scores of 75 or above from customers while running an air carrier based in the U.S., would certainly be disruptive. Wilcox is outspoken about the monopoly positions held at airports by major U.S. airlines and a critic of blocking air service and competition.
The next FAA Administrator will face challenges involving oversight of Boeing, antiquated air traffic control compounded by staffing challenges, and whether to kowtow to ALPA, American and Southwest in cracking down on smaller part 135 carriers who are necessary for the development of electric aircraft (and therefore ceding competitiveness to China).
Excellent choice by the greatest president of this century. LFG! MAGA!
I don’t think they’ll have to worry about him kowtowing to ALPA!
As the new administration seems to be focused on appointing disruptors — a good thing in my opinion — them maybe he is a good choice not being immediately beholden to the current titans — and being one who has been targeted by them, a bit of payback might not be a bad thing.
Horrible choice by the worst grifter president ever. Will I have to buy a seat for my guitar?? Gettrumpguitars.com (not a parody, believe me)
JonNYC, the leftist hack and Snowden wannabe, says he has zero experience. What a buffoon. A career bureaucrat is exactly the experience we don’t need. Someone who has actually ran companies in the aviation sector, and has seen first hand the damage that government does, is exactly what we need.
Alex for $500, please…
A: Expanding JSX in all Texas markets while giving AA the middle finger.
Q: What is a bold move for Alex whole in office?