Continental Pilots Call for Renewed Focus on Contract Negotiations
December 31 - The Continental pilots, represented by ALPA, are pressing for a renewed focus on negotiations for a new contract. The pilots’ contract becomes amendable today, Dec. 31, 2008. Negotiations for a new contract first began back in July 2007. To date, the parties have completed tentative agreements for eight sections of the contract, but dozens more remain untouched, including prime issues such as pay, work rules, benefits and retirement.

United Pilots: Leadership Void Costly for UAL in 2008
December 29 - Pilots for United Airlines said today that under CEO Glenn Tilton’s watch, United Airlines in 2008 clearly failed in its efforts to regain its former stature as the world’s preeminent airline. Over the past year, the airline has been plagued by an appalling lack of leadership and vision among Tilton and his executives. Tilton and his executives have kept United Airlines mired in financial and operational stagnation ever since it exited bankruptcy nearly three years ago.

ALPA Strongly Supports Merger with NPA
December 19 -On December 16, ALPA’s Executive Council unanimously passed a resolution underscoring its wholehearted support for beginning work toward a merger agreement with the National Pilots Association (NPA), which represents the pilots at AirTran. ALPA leaders also met recently with the NPA Board of Directors and made a presentation regarding the benefits of membership in and representation by an international union devoted solely to pilots’ issues.

Continental Pilots Call for Renewed Focus on Contract Negotiations
December 31 - The Continental pilots, represented by ALPA, are pressing for a renewed focus on negotiations for a new contract. The pilots’ contract becomes amendable today, Dec. 31, 2008. Negotiations for a new contract first began back in July 2007. To date, the parties have completed tentative agreements for eight sections of the contract, but dozens more remain untouched, including prime issues such as pay, work rules, benefits and retirement.

United Pilots: Leadership Void Costly for UAL in 2008
December 29 - Pilots for United Airlines said today that under CEO Glenn Tilton’s watch, United Airlines in 2008 clearly failed in its efforts to regain its former stature as the world’s preeminent airline. Over the past year, the airline has been plagued by an appalling lack of leadership and vision among Tilton and his executives. Tilton and his executives have kept United Airlines mired in financial and operational stagnation ever since it exited bankruptcy nearly three years ago.

Colgan Air Pilots Vote to Join ALPA
NMB Election Results Show Overwhelming Support for Union
December 17 - The Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l (ALPA), welcomes today’s announcement by the National Mediation Board (NMB) that the pilots of Colgan Air, Inc., have selected the union as their collective bargaining representative. According to the NMB, 313 of 449 eligible voters cast a ballot in support of representation, well above the threshold required for certification. Prior to the election, the Colgan pilots were unrepresented.

Alaska Pilots’ Union Leadership Creates Strike Preparedness Committee
December 16 - The union leaders elected to represent the 1,500 pilots of Alaska Airlines today unanimously voted to activate the Strike Preparedness Committee in preparation for the possibility of a legal pilot strike against Alaska Airlines.

ALPA Champions Rest Requirements for Ultra-Long-Range Flights
January 7, 2009 - Capt. John Prater, president of the Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l (ALPA), issued the attached statement in support of the recently released operations specifications for crew rest on ultra-long-range flights of more than 16 hours.

Brazilian Report Downplays ATC System Deficiencies in Midair Collision
December 17 - A Brazilian report on a 2006 midair collision between an airliner and a business jet ignores the severity of the air traffic control system deficiencies that contributed to the tragedy, according to the Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l (ALPA).

ALPA Deplores Public Release of Fatal Accident Cockpit Voice Recording
Exploitation Demonstrates Immediate Need for Legal Protection
December 10 - Capt. John Prater, president of ALPA, condemned the recent online publication of the cockpit voice recordings from the jet aircraft involved in a midair collision that took place more than two years ago. The audio recordings, which were released by the Brazilian prosecutor in the case, can be found in their entirety in the current online edition of a U.S. magazine.

FAA Announces Ground Rules for ULR Flights
November 14 - One of ALPA’s top safety priorities—addressing pilot fatigue—got a boost from the FAA recently when the agency published a new operations specification (OpSpec A332), designed to reduce crewmember fatigue during ultra-long-range (ULR) flights.

Pilots Participate in New Runway Safety Council
FAA Names Capt. Rory Kay Industry Co-Chair
October 31 - The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) recently named Capt. Rory Kay, executive air safety chairman of the Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l (ALPA), the new Runway Safety Council’s industry co-chair. Capt. Kay will serve a one-year term in that position; Wes Timmons, FAA’s director of runway safety, is the other co-chair.

Pilots Raise the Bar on Runway Safety
ALPA challenges airline industry, government to eliminate serious runway incursions altogether
September 25 - Capt. John Prater, president of the Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l, set the bar high for runway safety today, challenging both government and industry to establish a goal of zero serious runway incursions involving commercial airliners in his testimony before the U.S. House of Representatives Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Aviation.
• Read Capt. Prater’s testimony
• View the “Hold Short for Runway Safety” website

Volcanic Ash and Aviation Safety
ALPA Safety, through its Volcanic Ash project under the Air Traffic Services Group, has devoted years to expanding its database of operationally relevant information on this potential hazard and improving the warning system necessary to reduce unplanned encounters of hazardous ash clouds. This new website provides information for greater awareness, recommended practices for avoidance, and what to do in the event of an unexpected encounter. Pertinent videos, maps, and briefings about this dangerous yet fascinating natural phenomenon are included. Click here to launch the website.

The International Directory
ALPA's Air Safety Department has issued an International Directory for international pilots. The Directory includes known expectations of authorities, a listing of major IFALPA associations’ contact information, and U.S. and Canadian government contact information for every country of the world. An ALPA member login is required.

ALPA Commends Selection of Rep. Hilda L. Solis as U.S. Labor Secretary
December 19 - Capt. John Prater, president of the Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l, issued the attached statement in response to the appointment of Congresswoman Hilda L. Solis (D-Calif.) as the next U.S. Secretary of Labor.

ALPA Hails LaHood Appointment as Next U.S. Transportation Secretary
December 19 - Capt. John Prater, president of the Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l, issued the attached statement on President-elect Barack Obama’s appointment of Rep. Ray LaHood (R-Ill.) to head the U.S. Department of Transportation.

ALPA Stands Shoulder-to-Shoulder with Alitalia Pilots
Questions Airline’s Interference with Pilots’ Judgment on Operational Matters
December 9 - Capt. John Prater, president of the Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l (ALPA), today issued the attached statement expressing concern about the growing interference by Italian government authorities with operational decisions made by the pilots of Alitalia.

Basic Safety School (BSS)
February 17-19, 2009
San Antonio, TX
The BSS consists of two individual modules in the safety-training curriculum. They are: Safety One (SA-1) and Accident/Incident Investigation One (AI-1). Safety One begins the program. As the school’s name describes, these are the introductory courses for work in the ALPA Air Safety Structure. The BSS provides a formal introduction for pilot volunteers who have limited knowledge of the ALPA air safety structure. In addition, the course provides ALPA pilots with an introduction to accident/incident investigation information. Those pilots who should attend are pro-active pilots who have been in the air safety structure for less than one year and are not familiar with its function. Register online.

Safety Two School (STS)
February 17-19, 2009
San Antonio, TX
The STS is intended to continue the safety education of your CASC members that began with the Basic Safety School (BSS). The course equips attendees with a solid foundation in leadership, CASC project management, and an introduction to System Safety and Risk Management. The STS course has added another day to the course to meet the needs of the Central Air Safety Committee by adding a working understanding of FOQA & ASAP, the FAA structure, and Airport Liaison Representative resources available. In addition, the course provides attendees with the basic tools to effectively communicate ALPA’s safety concerns to the news media when the need arises. Register online.

Airport Liaison Representative Training Course (ALR)
February 17-19, 2009
San Antonio, TX
ALR training provides pilot volunteers with a basic understanding of the various aspects of the Airport Liaison Representative’s role. The course is designed to assist new ALRs in identifying and carrying out their responsibilities to their Regional Safety Coordinators and understanding the support provided to them by ALPA staff representatives. Please be advised that ALR candidates cannot attend the ALR Training Course and will not be assigned to an airport, until the safety structure approval process has been completed. Register online.

2009 Combined Training Council & Human Factors WG Meeting
February 24-26, 2009
Denver, CO
The Air Line Pilots Association, International is conducting the 17th meeting of the Training Council (TC) & the 2nd meeting of the Human Factors Working Group (HFWG) on February 24-26, 2009, at the Radisson Hotel in Denver, CO. We will be starting at 9:00 AM PST on February 24 and concluding at 12:00 PM PST on February 26. The Training Committee Chairman or person responsible for Pilot Training at your MEC and your Human Factors Committee Chairman or person serving as your human factors specialist are invited to attend this meeting. Register online.

Walking the Line
A library of video and photo footage documenting the solidarity of ALPA's pilot family.

Archived Events:

ALPA Grievance Training Prepares Pilot Advocates
November 14, 2008 - Nearly 50 pilot volunteers attended ALPA Grievance Training Seminar this week in an effort to become integrated into the work of bargaining and enforcing contracts. They learned about pertinent terms of the Railway Labor Act, analysis of precedent-setting contract cases, strategic considerations in the grievance process, the role of the system board of adjustment, “proof of matter” considerations, grievance preparation and presentation, first-step disciplinary hearings, and mediation and alternative grievance-resolution processes.

Highlights from ALPA’s 103rd Executive Board
September 10, 2008 - The second day of ALPA’s 103rd Executive Board meeting featured ASTAR Air Cargo MEC Chairman, Capt. Pat Walsh, who reported on the status of his pilot group’s fight to save their jobs. As previously reported, ASTAR pilots were negotiating their latest contract at the same time that Deutsche Post, which owns DHL, was in talks to transfer all of ASTAR’s flying to competitor UPS. For highlights from Day 1, please click here.