Release #12.28
June 5, 2012

Pilots Support Bipartisan Effort to Advance One Level of Safety for Passenger and Cargo Airlines
Bill to Bring All Airline Pilots Under Pilot Fatigue Regulations Introduced in Senate

WASHINGTON – A bipartisan pair of senators today introduced the Safe Skies Act of 2012 (S. 3263) in the U.S. Senate, advancing efforts to ensure one level of safety for passenger and cargo airlines and enhance air transportation safety.

“The Air Line Pilots Association applauds Senators Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and Olympia Snowe (R-ME) for their commitment to aviation safety and leadership in moving this important legislation forward,” said Capt. Lee Moak, president of the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA), Int’l. If enacted, the bill would direct the U.S. Department of Transportation to apply the Federal Aviation Administration’s flight- and duty-time regulations and minimum rest requirements to all-cargo airline operations in the same way that the regulations currently apply to passenger operations.

The Safe Skies Act was introduced with bipartisan support in the U.S. House of Representatives in April, and ALPA is working with lawmakers to urge Congress to take up and pass the bill in both Houses of Congress as swiftly as possible. “ALPA staunchly supports this science-based, common-sense bill, which would afford all airline pilots—regardless of whether they fly passengers or cargo—equal protections from fatigue under the new federal pilot flight- and duty-time regulations.” Moak said. ALPA has long advocated for one level of safety for all types of flight operations, and is fully engaged in efforts to achieve this goal across the U.S. airline industry.

Founded in 1931, ALPA is the world’s largest pilot union, representing more than 53,000 pilots at 37 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