Release #: 15.22
June 02, 2015

ALPA Launches “This Is Your Captain Speaking” Ad Campaign

Campaign Calls for On-Time FAA Reauthorization Bill That Puts Safety First

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Today, as hundreds of professional airline pilots fanned out across Capitol Hill, the Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l (ALPA) launched its new “This Is Your Captain Speaking” ad campaign, which calls on Congress to pass an on-time Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reauthorization bill that puts safety first. The ad campaign – which includes print and digital ads, radio spots, bus wraps, and #FlySafeAmerica social media effort – will target Capitol Hill for the next eight weeks.

Click here to see the print ads.
Click here to listen to the radio ads.
Click here to watch the video.

Against the backdrop of the new campaign, nearly 200 pilots from across the nation will meet with federal lawmakers and staff this week as part of ALPA’s annual legislative summit. Pilots will urge Congress to stop attempts to roll back safety regulations and eschew extraneous measures that could delay passage of the FAA reauthorization bill. During the last reauthorization debate, unnecessary add-ons resulted in years of delays and 23 temporary stopgap measures to keep the FAA running. ALPA, the world’s largest nongovernmental safety organization, is now calling on Congress to prevent that from happening again by providing the FAA with an on-time bill that provides the stable funding necessary to fulfill its safety responsibilities as well as moving ahead with projects that will increase aviation system capacity and efficiency included in NextGen.

“Airline pilots want to see a clean, on‐time FAA reauthorization bill this year that puts safety first,” said ALPA President Capt. Tim Canoll. “Unfortunately, some are calling for rolling back fatigue rules and safety standards for pilot training and qualification. Our paramount goal must be to preserve measures that safeguard our passengers, cargo, and flight crews. We can’t afford to settle for anything less.”

Specifically, ALPA is urging Congress to:

Pass a bill that provides stable, reliable funding for FAA;
Uphold current requirements as mandated by Congress for pilot training, including minimum licensing and qualifications standards;
Ensure that any integration of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) does not introduce any risk into the National Air Space that lowers the level of safety;
Improve security by requiring secondary cockpit barriers on passenger aircraft; and
Appropriately regulate the transport of lithium batteries by air as dangerous goods to mitigate the risk of fire aboard aircraft.

During its legislative summit, ALPA will also call on lawmakers to support its efforts to stop three Middle East airlines owned by the governments of Qatar and the United Arab Emirates from violating U.S. Open Skies agreements and putting U.S. aviation jobs at risk. Since 2004, Emirates Airline, Qatar Airways, and Etihad Airways have received more than $42 billion in unfair subsidies from their respective governments, distorting the global aviation marketplace. ALPA has joined with the three largest U.S. airlines and other unions in asking the Obama Administration to open consultations with Qatar and the UAE and to seek a freeze on current passenger service while these airlines’ practices are under review.

Founded in 1931, ALPA is the world’s largest pilot union, representing more than 51,000 pilots at 30 airlines in the United States and Canada. Visit the ALPA website at www.alpa.org or follow us on Twitter @WeAreALPA.

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