Release #13.18
April 19, 2013

ALPA Warns of Potential Flight Operation Disruptions

WASHINGTON—Capt. Lee Moak, president of the Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l, issued the following statement after participating in a news conference with Airlines 4 America (A4A) and the Regional Airline Association (RAA) to call attention to the significant chaos that could ensue beginning next week as a result of the furloughs of front line safety personnel in our nation’s aviation system.

“Together with A4A and the RAA, we call on the administration and Congress to work together to provide the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) with the funding flexibility it needs to ensure that essential aviation services are maintained during sequestration and that front-line safety personnel are not affected by these budget cuts.

“This is a unique situation. Our entire aviation system will struggle to maintain normality due to furloughs of these essential workers. The economic viability of our country depends on this mode of transportation; everyone will be affected.”

ALPA is also joining A4A and the RAA to pursue legal actions against the Department of Transportation and the FAA. The groups are asking the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit to review the agencies’ Capacity Reduction Plan for sequestration and to authorize issue of an emergency stay to prevent implementation of that plan pending the court’s review.

This unified industry approach is an effort to protect the rights of the traveling public.

Founded in 1931, ALPA is the world’s largest airline pilot union, representing more than 50,000 pilots at 34 airlines in the United States and Canada. Visit the ALPA website at www.alpa.org.

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CONTACT: ALPA Media, 703/481-4440 or media@alpa.org