I would be interested to know how much/if the WH leaned on DOT & FAA in the administration of their ruling. The pdf went into significant detail delineating compliance with executive order etc,

According to the document, the FAA makes the decision based on the processes described therein. W all that's going on in the Nation/World- tax, deficit, Korea, Iran, ... It would seem unlikely the POTUS would micromanage this single fed department rule, ----the FAA as well as all federal departments make a lot of rules, "hey Lahood, Huerta-rule for the pax carriers, but cut out the freight dogs".

Seems more likely based on the pdf that the lobby rolled hard on OMB's analysis- disputing & providing data, as they saw fit, then bringing in lawsuits vs FAA/DOT on the grounds of some of their evidence as documented in the pdf.

It'd be great to have the "inside" story, but after reading thru the pdf, it looks like the corp lobby just rolled the FAA, and created enough doubt, challenging their data, assumptions, etc, and likely the FAA didnt have the legal power to fend it off.

See it often in the military aviation basing battles, the DoJ lawyers just get crushed by a larger and well resourced legal team, where the gov just settles as they can't afford to keep up the fight, even tho' their case makes "sense" and is ethically correct.

Just goes to show how important is is to lobby- too bad that ALPA will never be able to keep up $$$ wise against the ATA, NACA, Chamber of Commerce resources.

Remeber the Golden Rule- He who has the Gold Makes the Rules!!