Pataki pushes to 'Keep America Flying'

NEW YORK (CNN) -- Gov. George Pataki has launched a "Keep America Flying" public service campaign, hoping to "restore pride and confidence" in commercial aviation.

Local, state and national officials and business executives joined the governor at New York's John F. Kennedy International airport to try to boost an industry that is responsible for thousand of jobs in Queens and the surrounding region.

Airports are "economic engines" that bring in "thousands of jobs for shops, stores, advertising agencies, travel agencies, baggage handlers and many others on whom depends the livelihood of the region," Pataki said.

This campaign, he said, is trying to "send a message to the world, first on a human side ... and then on an economic side." Referring to the September 11 terrorist attacks, he vowed that "no efforts to take away our confidence, our belief in tomorrow" will succeed.

Robert H. Schmidt, CEO of advertising agency CarroSell, co-founder of the campaign, said it marks "the first time such a competitive industry got together" to do "something responsible" to boost "security, customer comfort and profit."

Bill DeCota, director of aviation for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, said airports bring $40 billion worth of investments to the region, as well as 70,000 jobs and 380,000 indirect jobs.

The campaign's logo is a stylized wing and a star.

Jet Blue Airways, AirTran and American Airlines are among the companies taking part in the "Keep America Flying" campaign.