Release #: PAL 21.01
May 07, 2021

PAL Airlines and Air Borealis Pilots Applaud Government Leaders for Expanding COVID-19 Vaccination Eligibility

ST. JOHNS, N.L.—The Newfoundland and Labrador-based pilots of PAL Airlines and Air Borealis, as represented by the Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l (ALPA), today applauded their provincial government leaders for expanding COVID-19 vaccination eligibility to include aircrews traveling outside the province for work.

“We thank Premier Andrew Furey and Minister of Health and Community Services Dr. John Haggie for recognizing the essential work pilots have performed throughout the pandemic—connecting communities and transporting goods, including vaccines and personal protective equipment,” said ALPA Canada President Tim Perry. “Now every pilot who wants to receive the COVID-19 vaccine within Newfoundland and Labrador has the opportunity to as soon as possible.”

The expanded eligibility is a critical step to ensure the safety of professional pilots. They are, however, still subject to the public health travel order, which includes a 14-day self-isolation that restarts after any trip outside the province. The federal government, and most other provinces, do not require pilots to self-isolate following an out-of-province trip.

“We need the province’s Health Department to now focus on and modify the self-isolation exemption order in a way that maintains the safety of the community but also recognizes that continued isolation is detrimental to one’s mental health and creates a double-standard for professional pilots in our country as the federal government and other provinces do not require pilots to isolate following an inter-province flight,” said Perry.

Founded in 1931, ALPA is the largest airline pilot union in the world and represents over 59,000 pilots at 35 U.S. and Canadian airlines. Visit the ALPA website at alpa.org or follow us on Twitter @ALPAPilots.

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CONTACT: ALPA Media, 703-481-4440 or Media@alpa.org