Airline Industry Confronts Coronavirus Head On

ALPA Calls for Labor Protections, Provides Extensive Network of Programs and Services

By John Perkinson, Senior Staff Writer

Editor's note: Find up-to-date information on COVID-19 on our Coronavirus Information website.

Since Chinese authorities alerted the World Health Organization last December of an outbreak of a novel SARS-CoV-2 strain of coronavirus, also known as COVID-19, the incidence of this illness has escalated into a pandemic, changing the way individuals interact and spawning an international economic crisis. The deadly contagion has compelled governments, businesses, and other organizations to take drastic action to stop its spread—particularly because the virus can be easily transmitted by individuals who are asymptomatic.

Health officials are concerned that if the outbreak continues at its current pace, there may not be enough hospital beds or medical staff and equipment to handle the increased demand. The worldwide total of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in late March surpassed 800,000.

“As the 2019 novel coronavirus outbreak continues to evolve, our union is on the forefront of gathering the latest data and information,” said Capt. Joe DePete, ALPA’s president, in an Association all-member message.

“I’ve asked Capt. Bob Fox, ALPA’s first vice president and national safety coordinator—supported by F/O John Taylor (United), ALPA’s Pilot Assistance chair, and F/O Ellen Brinks (Delta), ALPA’s Aeromedical chair—to spearhead our union’s efforts to address this serious global health situation,” DePete continued, calling for a comprehensive approach. “We’re backing these ALPA Air Safety Organization [ASO] experts with resources from the ALPA Aeromedical Office in Denver, Colo., as well as staff from every ALPA department.”

Responding to this undertaking, Fox acknowledged, “ALPA has encountered and met the challenge of many external pressures on our industry. We’ve adapted quickly to outside forces ranging from geopolitical turmoil and geologic events to public-health issues like today’s coronavirus. Each time, our response was fact-based, deliberate, and measured. And each time, our union and its members rose to the occasion––even in the most difficult circumstances.”

Coronaviruses make up a large group of viral diseases. Seven known strains can cause illnesses in humans ranging from mild cold symptoms to more severe conditions. Although the likelihood of recovery from this disease is good, the ability to spread the virus to those in high-risk categories, including the elderly and individuals with serious underlying medical conditions, makes it imperative that the global population acts swiftly to contain COVID-19.

The first-known critical illness caused by a coronavirus was linked to the 2003 severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) outbreak in China. Another serious coronavirus epidemic surfaced in Saudi Arabia in 2012 with the spread of Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS). However, the global impact of these two illnesses pales in comparison to this latest virus strain.

A New Reality

Because of its contagious nature and extensive reach, COVID-19 has compelled North America and much of the world to change the way people socialize and interact, at least for the immediate future. To limit the disease’s proliferation, both health experts and government officials advise “social distancing,” asking individuals to maintain distances of six feet and avoid gathering in groups. In response, educational institutions, professional sports leagues, and a host of other businesses and organizations have suspended some or all of their activities, resulting in a major shutdown of large parts of the global economy and plummeting stock markets and other financial indices.

One of the hardest hit by this global health emergency has been the airline industry, as numerous governments have taken measures to impose temporary travel restrictions and airspace closures. In the United States, U.S. citizens and permanent residents returning to their home country from certain Asian and European nations are being required to do so through one of 13 designated U.S. airports. In addition, the United States reached an agreement with Canada to temporarily close the U.S.-Canada border to all nonessential travel until the situation improves.

In Canada, international air travel has been limited to four airports—Calgary International, Montréal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International, Toronto Pearson International, and Vancouver International. The Canadian government also announced that its borders are officially closed to non-Canadians, with some exceptions. Permanent Canadian residents, immediate family members, diplomats, and aircrews will still be allowed into the country.

Reacting to restrictions and declining demand, U.S. and Canadian airlines have implemented plans to dramatically cut flight capacity. United Airlines announced a 60 percent schedule cut for April, including a 90 percent international capacity decrease. Delta reported that it would slash 70 percent of its operation, grounding 600 planes. Alaska Airlines plans to reduce its flight schedule for April and May by approximately 70 percent. Air Transat has suspended its entire operation through April 30, and other airlines in Canada have either suspended all scheduled flights or severely cut back operations.

Among fee-for-departure carriers, Compass and Trans States Airlines both indicated they would cease operations by early April. The Compass and Trans States Master Executive Councils (MECs) have been working with ALPA national to provide ongoing support for their pilots, including access to the Furloughed Pilots Support Program (FPSP) and the Pilot Peer Support (PPS) program.

All-cargo airlines like FedEx Express continue to transport packages and fly relief missions, but the pandemic has taken its toll, and all pilot groups across the Association are feeling the immediate effects with reports of sporadic layover hotel closings, schedule rebids, calls for voluntary leaves of absence, and renewed concerns about proper pay protections. Some fee-for-departure airlines are contending with rescinding resignations, as pilots concerned about the stability of upgrades to larger airlines are attempting to return to their previous carriers.

The one constant throughout the aviation industry is that all airlines are having to reevaluate their operations on a daily basis. Some remain hopeful that passenger numbers will rebound once the pandemic subsides, following a similar trajectory to the airline market recovery after disruptions caused by the 2008–2009 recession and the 9/11 terrorist attacks. After an interim period, travel patterns returned to normal and growth eventually resumed. However, the full impact of the COVID-19 crisis remains to be seen.

On the regulatory front, the FAA published a direct final rule changing the altitude for oxygen mask use when a pilot leaves the cockpit. The new rule, for which ALPA strongly advocated, only requires pilots to wear oxygen masks when one leaves the flight deck above FL 410 instead of FL 250. ALPA highlighted the details of this change in its Operations Bulletin 2020-01 titled “Revised FAA Regulations for Oxygen Mask Use.”

The Association also asked the FAA to extend the duration of pilot medical certificates in the near term, and on March 27 the FAA issued a policy decision stating that the agency won’t take enforcement action against a pilot flightcrew member or flight engineer operating with an expired medical certificate. This policy is effective March 31, 2020, through June 30, 2020, and only applies to domestic operations.

For International operations, on March 30, 2020, the FAA released an exemption extending airman medical certificates for pilots conducting international operations until June 30, 2020. Pilots flying internationally must carry a copy of the exemption with them. This extension is compliant with the International Civil Aviation Organization.

Transport Canada recently issued an extension allowing pilots who currently hold a medical certificate expiring on or before June 1 to “continue to exercise the privileges of their permits, licenses, or ratings until Aug. 1, 2020, subject to the conditions listed in the exemption notice dated March 17, 2020.”

In addition, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) informed flightcrew members to expect periodic closures of Known Crewmember® (KCM) security access points without notice. If KCM stations are closed, the TSA will screen crewmembers at TSA PreCheck locations, where available, or in regular passenger screening lanes.

Financial Assistance Needed

Amid calls for an aviation industry stimulus package to help U.S. airlines withstand the current financial crisis, ALPA and other transportation labor unions aggressively lobbied Congress to ensure that any financial aid requires airlines to use a significant portion to support workers.

“I sent a letter to President Donald Trump, U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and Senate Leader Mitch McConnell to make clear that stabilizing the U.S. airline industry as our global community addresses the coronavirus disease is imperative,” said DePete, adding, “I was unequivocal that any package must contain strong labor protections for the airline employees who suffer financial harm, experience quarantine or treatment, or need to care for a loved one.”

ALPA also launched a Call to Action, urging ALPA members and staff, as well as their family and friends, to contact Members of Congress, which resulted in more than 167,000 letters and tweets in response.

These and other Association efforts paid off as the federal government approved the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES), providing the airline industry with $61 billion in grants and loans. The legislation designates $25 billion in grants to passenger airlines, and $4 billion in grants to all-cargo carriers, solely to be used to pay workers through the month of September. Passenger airlines will receive an additional $25 billion in loans or loan guarantees, and all-cargo airlines will receive $4 billion in loans or loan guarantees. As a condition, airlines that receive grant funding can’t conduct involuntary furloughs or reduce pay rates and benefits until Sept. 30, 2020.

In addition, the CARES bill caps executive compensation, including any subsequent severance packages, for two years, plus it bars airlines from paying a dividend or initiating stock buybacks for at least a year. Another $10 billion will be allocated to airports and a separate $3 billion to airline and airport contractors.

Applauding this colossal effort, DePete remarked, “The bill contains many of the pilot-partisan measures for which ALPA has been fighting—and [ALPA members] played a tremendous role in making it happen.”

Resources, Programs, and Services

ALPA has a vast amount of resources and services available to help members and their families work through the COVID-19 crisis and its aftermath.

• The Association’s frequently updated clearinghouse of aviation-specific COVID-19 information, www.alpa.org/coronavirus, contains the latest ASO updates and health guidance from both the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Transport Canada. This same information is accessible using the new Notification Center in the Association’s mobile app for smartphones and tablets.
• U.S. ALPA members with health-related questions can contact Aviation Medicine Advisory Service, ALPA’s Aeromedical Office, at 303-341-4435 Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. mountain time.
•  ALPA’s Furloughed Pilots Support Program (FPSP), coordinated by Capt. Andrew Everett (Hawaiian), is fully prepared to help pilots facing furlough, a career disruption, or a company shutdown. As part of ALPA’s Membership Committee, the FPSP also keeps pilots connected with information, support, and guidance. Numerous resources are available at www.alpa.org/furlough. Members who have questions can contact FurloughInfo@alpa.org. Pilots should also check their collective bargaining agreements for possible furlough terms and protections.
• F/O Paul Ryder (United), ALPA’s national resource coordinator, is working with pilot volunteers and staff to create a new web-based resource, “When a Pandemic Hits Home,” that will provide measures members can take to protect themselves and their families. More details will be forthcoming.
• Through the Association’s affiliation with the AFL-CIO, U.S. ALPA members have access to benefits, including hardship-help programs, through the Union Plus program.
• Through Union Savings, Canadian ALPA members have access to benefits and discounts for insurance, financial, wellness, and other services. Learn more at unionsavings.ca.

Dealing with Stress

The coronavirus pandemic has caused stress and anxiety for most of the global population. Stress is a common reaction to unusual circumstances and can wreak havoc on an individual’s emotional well-being and physical health. The CDC acknowledges, “After a traumatic event, people may have strong and lingering reactions…. The symptoms may be physical or emotional. Common reactions to a stressful event can include

•  Disbelief, shock, and numbness,
•  Feeling sad, frustrated, and helpless,
•  Difficulty concentrating and making decisions,
•  Headaches, back pains, and stomach problems, and
•  Smoking or use of alcohol or drugs.”

Effective stress management can help mitigate this debilitating condition. To help, ALPA created the PPS program. PPS is a support network that connects ALPA members with trained pilot peers to discuss personal or professional problems they may be experiencing. PPS volunteers listen and offer confidential, nonjudgmental support. Peers are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week at 309-PPS-ALPA (309-777-2572).

If your MEC has an independent support line, you can contact volunteers directly:

•  Delta PAN: 800-USA-ALPA,
•  FedEx PATH: 866-FDX-ALPA,
•  JetBlue PAN/PPS: 309-PPS-ALPA,
•  United Airlines SOAR: 866-653-SOAR, and
•  Canadian Pilot Assistance (go to your MEC website or call 403-389-3032).

Keep in mind that in addition to PPS and ALPA’s Aeromedical Group that administers it, Pilot Assistance also provides services through the Professional Standards Group to help resolve interpersonal differences, the Human Intervention Motivation Study to address substance abuse and addiction, the Critical Incident Response Program to confront stress from accidents and serious safety incidents, and Pilot Assistance-Canada, which provides all of these programs for ALPA’s Canadian members. Look for details and contact information on www.alpa.org/pilotassistance.

Complementing other ALPA ASO efforts, Capt. Steve Jangelis (Delta), ALPA’s ASO Aviation Safety chair, recently distributed the safety bulletin “Diligence Through Rough Times,” reminding pilots to stay vigilant. He recommended carefully following standard operating procedures and focusing on the task at hand, noting, “The safety of our operation is still the number one priority through this rapidly changing environment, and many resources are available for assistance.”

Encouraging pilots to keep a watchful eye on coworkers and make sure they are properly displaying IDs were among the recommendations of Capt. Wolfgang Koch’s (Delta), ALPA’s ASO Aviation Security chair, as outlined in his bulletin “COVID-19 Hardening Our Target.” “This is also a time to ensure that we practice strict flight deck door opening and closing procedures,” he said.

Capt. Tom Letson (Delta), ALPA’s ASO Professional Standards Group chair, released the bulletin “Professional Pride,” reminding pilots that they must be in command of their own attitudes and efforts. He asserted, “Our professionalism is under a microscope right now, and this is a great opportunity to show the world what we are all about. Every passenger, flight attendant, mechanic, agent, and ramp line worker is looking to us for leadership.”

Insurance Takeaways

Capt. Ken Binder (FedEx Express), ALPA’s Retirement & Insurance Committee chair, reminded members covered under ALPA’s optional critical illness (CI) insurance who are undergoing treatment for COVID-19 that they should file a claim under the CI plan. Coverage requires that the insured ALPA member be diagnosed with a severe infectious disease resulting in confinement in a hospital for five or more consecutive days or a transitional-care facility for 14 or more consecutive days for the benefit to pay out. Coverage is subject to the terms and conditions of the policy.

The Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) provides workers and their families who lose health benefits the right to choose to continue those benefits for a period of time. Keep in mind that per the U.S. Department of Labor, “Qualified individuals may be required to pay the entire premium for coverage up to 102 percent of the cost to the plan.”

If ALPA members are considering COBRA, they may also want to check with their airline about accessing the balance of their flexible spending account, withdrawing from their 401(k) if cash is needed, and checking the status of uniform balances, iPad policies, vacation balances, and any attendance bonus payments.

Working Together

Talking about the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, U.S. Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin observed that “this is worse than 9/11 for the airline industry.” But as ALPA leaders have observed, the Association has encountered many challenges since its founding in 1931 and has risen to the occasion each time. The Association’s strength comes from its members working together—and, together, ALPA members will get through this latest challenge.

This article was originally published in the April 2020 issue of Air Line Pilot.