This week, ALPA launched its new "A Deal Is a Deal" advertising campaign, which urges the Obama administration to request consultations with the governments of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Qatar to address the unfair subsidies and benefits provided to their state-owned airlines. 

The ad campaign––which includes print and digital ads and #ADealIsADeal social media effort––will run through October. The campaign will also feature billboards at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport during September.

As part of ALPA’s ongoing commitment to ensure that U.S. airlines are able to compete fairly in a global marketplace, ALPA joined in comments by the Partnership for Open & Fair Skies to highlight the clear evidence found in Qatar Airways, Etihad Airways, and Emirates Airline own submissions to the U.S. Departments of Commerce, State, and Transportation of the subsidies they receive from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Qatar governments.

Today’s closing of the Department of Transportation’s (DOT) comment period showcases yet again the outpouring of concern about the U.S. government’s need to ensure a fair marketplace by entering into consultations with the governments of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Qatar to get the facts on the subsidies they provide to Emirates Airline, Qatar Airways, and Etihad Airways.

Today, ALPA released a new white paper titled Keep America Flying: A Flight Plan for Safe and Fair Skies. It lays out reasoned and achievable policy solutions to enhance aviation safety and provide a strong and fair economic environment for U.S. airlines and their employees. Safety and security topics detailed in the white paper include airline pilot supply, unmanned aircraft systems, NextGen, safe air transport of lithium batteries, secondary cockpit barriers, science-based fatigue rules for all-cargo pilots, and the Federal Flight Deck Officer program.

In addition, ALPA’s Keep America Flying flight plan underscores the need to ensure that U.S. airlines and U.S. airline workers have a fair and equal opportunity to compete in the global marketplace. Economic policy subjects discussed in the union’s white paper include flag-of-convenience and other atypical business practices, upholding the promise of Open Skies, and reforming the U.S. Export-Import Bank.