ALPA Pilots Press DOT Secretary for Level Playing Field

ALPA pilots stood front and center with a call for the U.S. government to level the playing field for U.S. airlines as U.S. Secretary of Transportation Anthony Foxx addressed the Aero Club of Washington at a luncheon today. Capt. Moak was invited to join the secretary at the head table.

During the Q&A following Secretary Foxx’s formal remarks, Capt. Jud Crane (Delta), a member of the Delta MEC Government Affairs Committee, asked, “How can the Department of Transportation help level the playing field for U.S. carriers and their employees who are facing competition from state-owned, state-subsidized airlines who are exploiting perceived loopholes in Open Skies agreements?”

Foxx responded, acknowledging that it is “in our interests” to ensure that airlines maintain a competitive position. He continued, saying, “We will take whatever steps are necessary to ensure that our carriers are competitive.”

ALPA welcomes the secretary’s commitment to ensuring that U.S. carriers are competitive. Our union’s pilot volunteers and professional staff are in constant communication with DOT leaders. We are seizing every opportunity to underscore the threat posed by schemes such as Norwegian Air International that seek to gain an unfair competitive advantage and aim to make clear the vital importance of action by the U.S. government to level the playing field for U.S. airline workers.