Leadership From the Flight Deck
8 Results for Category Security
Worldwide, one of the biggest threats to the aviation system are atypical employment models, such as the ones being used by Ryanair in several countries in Europe. Employers—through a variety of schemes—use atypical employment to dissolve their direct relationship with their pilots and cabin crews. These arrangements, which may include misclassifying pilots as self-employed or independent contractors, are meant to undermine the right to collectively bargain and otherwise dismantle the traditional employee-employer relationship related to pay, benefits, and working conditions
Last week, ALPA hosted its 65th Air Safety Forum in Washington, D.C., with three days of private Air Safety Organization (ASO) committee, council, and group meetings followed by a full-day public session with speeches, in-depth discussions, and the annual awards banquet.
ALPA's president, Capt. Joe DePete, welcomed attendees to the Forum and highlighted the Association's history: "Learning from the danger that early aviators faced, airline pilots have helped lead North America to safer skies today." There has been loss along the way, unfortunately, but "we've turned pain into progress." And that progress continues. DePete reviewed an impressive list of successes ALPA has achieved and to ALPA's volunteers he said, "Thanks to you, humankind is and will forever be changed."
Bringing together pilot subject-matter experts, industry personnel, and government officials, the Air Safety Forum provides an essential step toward the successes of tomorrow—with casual conversations often sparking the first light of a solution. All told, the week epitomizes what Capt. Bob Fox, ALPA first vice president and national safety coordinator, referred to as "winning through collaboration."
On June 5, nearly 200 ALPA members from 38 states conducted hundreds of meetings with members of Congress to press these decision makers to support pilot-partisan issues. This boots-on-the-ground effort known as “Hill Day” wrapped up ALPA’s seventh annual Legislative Summit on Capitol Hill.
This week in Washington, D.C., stakeholders across the North American aviation industry gathered to discuss all things aviation safety and security at ALPA’s 64th Air Safety Forum.
ALPA president Capt. Tim Canoll opened the Forum’s public session on Wednesday by highlighting the results of a recent poll indicating that more than 80 percent of the American public say that they are not ready for pilotless airplanes. Even when offered airline ticket prices 30 percent lower than current fares, two-thirds said they would not take the deal to fly on a pilotless airplane. And nearly 70 percent stated that they opposed the proposed regulations providing for a government-funded study regarding the idea. Canoll framed the decision as “save a buck or save a life” and said that these poll results show clearly that the American public sides with ALPA's focus on safety in this important issue.
As ALPA celebrates its 85th anniversary this month, Federal Aviation Administration Associate Administrator for Aviation Safety Peggy Gilligan offered a guest commentary for Air Line Pilot on ALPA’s lasting and important role in advancing aviation safety throughout the years.
“When it comes to getting the job done and getting it done well, the Air Line Pilots Association has long been known as a go-to group—not just for safety and efficiency, but for forward thinking as well,” wrote Gilligan.
Since 1931, ALPA has been a central figure in building a strong, safe, and secure North American airline industry. For more on ALPA’s contributions over the decades, read Gilligan’s full article here.