Release #02.092
October 10, 2002

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Piedmont pilots, as represented by the Air Line Pilots Association, International, today announced that they have ratified a tentative agreement (TA) to participate in the US Airways Group’s restructuring plan. Of those who voted, over 86 percent of the pilots supported the proposal, which also will allow them to fly jets as part of this arrangement.

The TA, which the pilots reached with Piedmont management on Sept. 27, 2002, will take the form of a letter of agreement, revising the pilots’ current collective bargaining contract and extending it by five years. Since April of this year, the Piedmont pilots have been in talks with management to address the acquisition of small jets for their carrier. Shortly afterward, the talks included the airline’s request for contract relief, stemming from the US Airways Group’s financial challenges, which later led to its bankruptcy filing. Piedmont previously has been restricted in its ability to fly jets because of a scope arrangement with US Airways.

"We believe that our Negotiating Committee parlayed the best deal available to us under the circumstances, and we credit our pilots for recognizing the seriousness of the present situation and the need to act now to be a part of the US Airways Group’s future," said Capt. Olav Holm, the acting chairman for the Piedmont pilots’ Master Executive Council. "It was a tough decision, but I believe our pilots made the right choice."

Piedmont is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the US Airways Group. Its 450+ pilots operate deHavilland Dash 8 aircraft as a US Airways Express carrier to 48 destinations in the Eastern United States, Canada, and the Bahamas.

ALPA represents 66,000 airline pilots at 43 air carriers in the U.S. and Canada. Visit the ALPA website at http://www.alpa.org.

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ALPA CONTACT: John Perkinson (703) 481-4440