Release #13.DAL
May 6, 2013

Delta MEC Opposes Plan for Abu Dhabi Preclearance Facility

ATLANTA, Ga.—At the May regular meeting of the Delta Master Executive Council of the Air Line Pilots Association, International (ALPA), its members unanimously voted to strongly oppose the United States government plan for a United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) preclearance facility at the Abu Dhabi International Airport in the United Arab Emirates, or any other airport in the UAE.

In objecting to the proposal, the MEC noted that no United States passenger air carrier currently flies to Abu Dhabi International Airport, and there is an imminent threat to the future of the U.S. airline industry and the careers of U.S. airline workers due to the rapid expansion by government subsidized foreign air carriers.

The union emphasized that it is especially disturbing that a host foreign country with a U.S. government funded and staffed CBP preclearance facility has a distinct advantage to facilitate passenger travel to the U.S. by processing passengers through a U.S. CBP preclearance facility. There are many airports in foreign countries that for many decades have had large volumes of passenger traffic bound for the United States on U.S. passenger air carriers that currently do not have a U.S. CBP preclearance facility.

Captain Kingsley Roberts, Delta MEC chairman, stated that “The Delta MEC unanimously opposes the establishment of a U.S. CBP preclearance facility at the Abu Dhabi International Airport or any other airport in the UAE. The Delta MEC will direct appropriate resources to ensure the irrationality of a U.S. CBP preclearance facility is fully exposed to the U.S. traveling public.”

AIR LINE PILOTS ASSOCIATION INTERNATIONAL

Founded in 1931, ALPA represents 50,000 pilots at 33 airlines in the U.S. and Canada. ALPA represents over 11,000 Delta pilots. Visit the ALPA website at www.alpa.org, the Delta MEC website at http://dal.alpa.org.