April 4, 2002

PHOENIX — Uniformed pilots of America West Airlines will conduct informational picketing at the airline’s headquarters in Tempe on Friday, April 5, to demand their management seriously address the key issues as they resume negotiations for a new contract.

Pilots will picket outside America West corporate headquarters, 111 W. Rio Salado Parkway, from 10 a.m. to noon.

"Despite the break in our negotiations, we want management to understand that we have not forgotten the sacrifices and investments the pilots have continuously made to help America West become the airline it is today," said Captain Herb Holland, chairman of the America West unit of the Air Line Pilots Association, International (ALPA).

Negotiations with management, which began in February 2000 and were suspended after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, are currently being conducted under the direction of a federal mediator. The two parties have not yet begun discussing key economic issues including pay and retirement.

"Now that negotiations are resuming, we are committed to reaching a fair and equitable agreement with management as quickly as possible," Captain Holland said. "It remains to be seen if America West management will show the same willingness at the negotiating table."

Founded in 1931, ALPA is the world's oldest and largest pilot union representing more than 62,000 pilots at 42 airlines in the U.S. and Canada. Visit the ALPA website at http://www.alpa.org.

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ALPA Contact: Scott Sherrin, (602) 306-4100 or (602) 418-2979