View this message on the web.

December 19, 2013 FacebookTwitterFlickrYouTubeRSS FeedsLinkedInBlog

In This Issue:

ALPA, House Members, and Aviation Stakeholders Meet to Fight for U.S. Airlines & Jobs
Weekly Round-Up: ALPA in the News
ARW Pilots Use Their Heads to Produce P4P Contribution
Island Air Pilots Ratify New Flying Agreement
Save the Date: 2014 ALPA Government Affairs Legislative Summit
TSA Pre✓™ Formally Expands to Members of the Military at More Than 100 Airports
Santa Claus Is Coming to Town!
News on the Net
 

ALPA, House Members, and Aviation Stakeholders Meet to Fight for U.S. Airlines & Jobs

The Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l (ALPA), Airlines for America (A4A), and the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA took the fight to Philadelphia to underscore a threat to our airline industry: a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) preclearance facility in Abu Dhabi.

ALPA president Capt. Lee Moak and ALPA pilots joined Rep. Patrick Meehan (R-Pa.) and Rep. Jim Gerlach (R-Pa.) to support H.R. 3488, which would require the U.S. government to take a serious look at the potential effects a new CBP preclearance facility would have on the U.S. airline industry and CBP staffing before it could establish the facility.

Read more about the press conference | See video of the event

Weekly Round-Up: ALPA in the News

Protest in Philadelphia against U.S. Customs deal with Abu Dhabi
“Capt. Lee Moak, national president of the 50,000-member Air Line Pilots Association, said: ‘It’s clear from the billions of dollars in aircraft orders at the Dubai Air Show by foreign airlines, and new routes such as Qatar Airways announced would begin in 2014 between Doha and Philadelphia, that foreign airlines pose serious economic competition to U.S. airline companies.’” Philadelphia Inquirer

Feedback FTDT App for Android FTDT App for Apple
ARW Pilots Use Their Heads to Produce P4P Contribution

A group of Air Wisconsin pilots endured a “hair razing” experience at Tuesday’s ALPA ARW holiday party. Members including MEC Chair Richard Swindell, Council 50 Chair Chris Suhs, Council 50 Vice Chair Reed Donoghue, MEC Negotiating Chair Mark Lockwood, MEC SPSC Chair Jared Armstrong, F/O Curtiss Kimberly, and F/O Jason Kiah had their heads shaved as a means to raise $800 for the ALPA Emergency Relief Fund, also known as Pilots for Pilots (P4P).

“We had a professional barber do the buzz cuts,” said Suhs, who chairs the council that hosts the annual holiday party for Air Wisconsin pilots and their spouses. “We set a price on each participant’s head. If that amount was raised, the pilot sat in the barber’s chair. This is the second year we have had an activity designed to raise money for a special cause,” he said. “Last year we threw pies, raising nearly $600 for an Air Wisconsin mechanic and his family who lost their home in a fire. Making it a tradition, we came up with this hair-brained idea and it worked.”

Read more about the P4P fundraiser.

Island Air Pilots Ratify New Flying Agreement

Island Air pilots approved a New Aircraft Letter of Agreement (LOA) this week that covers the pay and work rules for both the ATR-72 and Q400. Of the 84 percent of pilots who voted in this ballot, 97 percent voted in favor of the agreement. As a result, the LOA will be effective when the first of the new Q400s aircraft enter revenue service—charter, nonscheduled, or scheduled. This is expected by summer 2014.

Save the Date: 2014 ALPA Government Affairs Legislative Summit

The second annual ALPA Government Affairs Legislative Summit will take place next year on May 28–29, 2014, at the Hyatt Regency Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., and we hope to make it an even greater success than last year! The summit will provide pilot representatives and pilot advocates an opportunity to enhance their advocacy and PAC leadership skills through hands-on training. Participants will gain the tools needed to become effective advocates and to grow participation in ALPA’s PAC and grassroots programs within their pilot group. This is an excellent opportunity designed to enhance your legislative/political abilities, no matter your experience level.

The summit will feature legislative briefings, workshops, guest speakers, and a Capitol Hill reception with members of Congress and staff. The program culminates with a lobby day on Capitol Hill where participants will apply their training in meetings with representatives and senators on relevant pilot partisan legislative issues. Please hold May 28–29, 2014, in your calendars for this exciting event. More details and information will be coming soon!

TSA Pre✓™ Formally Expands to Members of the Military at More Than 100 Airports

As the result of the ongoing partnership with the Department of Defense, starting tomorrow, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) will officially extend TSA Pre✓™ expedited screening benefits to all U.S. Armed Forces service members. Service members, including those serving in the U.S. Coast Guard, Reserves, and National Guard, will be able to enjoy the benefits of this expedited screening program at more than 100 participating airports when flying on nine major U.S. airlines.

Read the TSA Press Release.

Santa Claus Is Coming to Town!

The NextGen Santa (as part of NORAD tracking Santa Christmas Eve) is in full swing! We have games and quizzes for your junior air traffic controllers and certificates and rocket construction kits that can be downloaded from the website. You all may have some nice industry awards, but how many of you have a certificate signed by Santa and Administrator Huerta?

Lots of fun things to come and we could use your help spreading the word! You can also follow NextGen Santa on Twitter. More to come as the big night approaches!

News on the Net

ALPA represents nearly 50,000 pilots at 32 airlines in the United States and Canada.
Visit us online at www.alpa.org.

FEEDBACK & E-MAIL ADDRESS CHANGES

Questions or comments on this FastRead? Send your feedback to Communications@alpa.org.

Moved or changed your e-mail address? See instructions here on updating your contact info.