All around the globe, and across the Internet, customers are busy purchasing (and shipping) holiday gifts. Whether a trinket from a small business on Main Street or the hottest tech gadget from a large online retailer, chances are good that is was shipped by air. FedEx alone sees an average of 14 million shipments every day, but during the holidays, that number doubles (and that’s not even including other major shipping companies that also transport cargo across the world, as well as all the cargo that passenger carriers carry).
At the controls of many of the planes that carry your shipments are members of the Air Line Pilots Association. We are professionally trained airline pilots who work day and night to ensure that orders and gifts arrive to customers and retailers safely and on time. What you may not realize is the important role you play to keep our air cargo system safe.
Undeclared hazardous materials in air shipments are responsible for thousands of incidents every year, and ALPA urges all shippers—businesses and consumers—to be aware of what can and cannot be shipped via air. The U.S. Department of Transportation urges shippers to “Check the Box” for hazardous materials and provides guidelines on how to properly identify and declare potentially dangerous goods. Check the Box!
Together, we can keep the skies safe for our pilots, you, your family and friends, your cargo, and everyone on the ground. The best gift we could ask for this year is a safe and secure aviation system. Happy holidays!