September 27, 2024

Global Pilot Leaders Reinforce Commitment to Keeping Two Pilots on the Flight Deck

Earlier this month, ALPA’s hugely successful Air Safety Forum touted the importance of two pilots on the flight deck, and now global pilot leaders have reinforced their collective commitment to oppose dangerous proposals by some airlines and aircraft manufacturers to remove pilots from the flight deck.

Back in March 2023, pilot representatives from ALPA, the European Cockpit Association, and the International Federation of Air Line Pilots Association, forged a partnership—under the name “Safety Starts with Two”—to counter the aggressive corporate-led lobbying campaign that targets regulators around the world, including the European Union Aviation Safety Agency and the International Civil Aviation Organization, to undermine safety by agreeing to proposals that remove pilots from the flight deck.

The “Safety Starts with Two” leaders released a new video calling out the risks and motivation behind these proposals:

 

During the Air Safety Forum, ALPA honored the crews of Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 and FedEx Express Flight 1432 for their heroic actions that saved the lives of hundreds of passengers—two very real examples of why two pilots are better than one.

“These events make crystal clear how critically important it is that we maintain the two-pilot standard that we currently have here in the United States. It’s helped lead to the safest skies in the world,” said Capt. Jason Ambrosi, ALPA president, at a press conference that coincided with the Air Safety Forum. “Remarkably, some corporate special interests are pushing to change that standard and lower the safety bar by allowing commercial flights to operate with only one pilot. This is a dangerous idea, and ALPA is committed to fighting it every step of the way. We’ve learned the hard way that putting profit ahead of safety is never a good idea, and that’s why we must all join together to stop this bad idea from ever seeing the light of day.”

Press Conference: ALPA Recognizes the Pilots of Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 and FedEx Express Flight 1432

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