ALPA pilots express our heartfelt condolences to the family of the passenger who lost her life aboard Southwest Airlines Flight 1380 and our support for all who have been affected by this accident. Our union stands in solidarity and has offered any assistance we can provide to our brothers and sisters at the Southwest Airlines Pilots Association (SWAPA) as well as to the Southwest Airlines flight attendants’ union.

This week, another airline used an alleged pilot shortage as an excuse to suspend operations, blaming life-saving safety regulations as the reason why they could not attract and retain pilots. According to the Denver Post¸ “Great Lakes Airlines has reported problems retaining and hiring on pilots for years and has drastically shrunk its route profile as a result.” This is another example of how special-interest groups have attempted to manufacture a crisis instead of facing the truth—that lack of a career path combined with rock-bottom pay and benefits by some airlines are the real reasons they have failed to attract pilots. These groups simply want to weaken significant safety improvements in order to increase the number of available pilots.

This weekend, as thousands of aviation enthusiasts gather at the annual International Women in Aviation conference in Reno, Nev., looking to fulfill their dreams of becoming an airline pilot, ALPA members and staff from across the country will be on hand to serve as the face and the voice of the professional female ALPA pilot. 

This Sunday, March 11, marks the beginning of daylight saving time (DST). It’s the time of year to set your clocks ahead one hour before going to sleep on Saturday. But take it easy in Arizona, Hawaii and some parts of Canada—these areas have ditched the practice and follow the same clock year-round.

Former WWII Army Air Corps pilot August Harvey “Augie” Martin flew part-time for several smaller air carriers before becoming the first African-American to fly for a major U.S. airline.