The most important safety feature of any airline operation is a well-trained, highly experienced and qualified professional pilot. And the best way to attract and retain these pilots is to pay them competitive wages and offer a solid career progression.

More than 14,000 of ALPA’s members currently fly for regional airlines, and many of these pilots seek to continue their career by moving to a mainline carrier. This is why ALPA developed its Interview Workshop—to help our pilots prepare for the entire hiring process when their time comes. By partnering with the leading interview preparation consultants in the industry, we are able to offer interview prep workshops to our members at no cost. 

Today, ALPA president Capt. Tim Canoll, joined by Delta MEC chairman Capt. Bill Bartels and United MEC chairman Capt. Todd Insler, emphasized how the U.S. commercial airline industry is a golden opportunity for the Trump administration to capitalize on its pledge to put America first. 

This week, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) convened the second meeting of the Drone Advisory Committee (DAC). ALPA was appointed to this group, which was established last year and we continue to have an active role in helping advise the FAA on prioritized policy areas that are urgently needed to ensure that as UAS operations expand, they do not compromise the safety of our shared airspace. 

February 1 marks the 20th anniversary of the merger between the Canadian Air Line Pilots Association (CALPA) and ALPA, which at the time brought 10 pilot groups and 2,700 Canadian pilots into the Association—making ALPA more than 43,000 pilots strong in 1997.