Release #: 21.57
September 15, 2021

JetBlue Pilots Elect New Slate of Officers

BOSTON—The JetBlue Master Executive Council (MEC) of the Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l (ALPA) today announced it has elected officers to lead the more than 4,100 JetBlue pilots.

The voting members of the JetBlue MEC elected Capt. Chris Kenney, chair; Capt. Brian Dirlam, vice chair; and Capt. Justin Houck, secretary-treasurer to two-year terms starting Nov. 1, 2021.

This slate of officers will lead the pilot group as it enters into negotiations for its second collective bargaining agreement. The pilots’ current contract, signed in August 2018, becomes amendable in July 2022. Since 2018, the pilot group has grown by more than 500 pilots and the airline has expanded to overseas destinations as its first flights to London from New York started in August.

Capt. Chris Kenney, MEC chair
Capt. Kenney was reelected as MEC chair, having served in the position since Nov. 1, 2019. Based in Boston, he has been with JetBlue since 2005. He previously served as a local council representative as well as on many committees, including as chair of Contract Compliance. Prior to joining JetBlue, he flew for Air Wisconsin, Big Sky Airlines, and Bighorn Airways.

Capt. Brian Dirlam, MEC vice chair
Capt. Dirlam was elected as vice chair. He served as a local council representative and secretary-treasurer in the Boston base. He also volunteers for the Pilot-to-Pilot Committee. Before joining JetBlue in 2007, he flew for Pinnacle Airlines.

Capt. Justin Houck, MEC secretary-treasurer
Capt. Houck was elected as secretary-treasurer, having previously served as secretary-treasurer for the Los Angeles base. He has also served on the System Scheduling Committee since its inception. Hired by JetBlue in 2005, he previously flew for Atlantic Southeast Airlines.

Founded in 1931, ALPA is the largest airline pilot union in the world and represents more than 60,000 pilots at 36 U.S. and Canadian airlines. Visit the ALPA website at alpa.org or follow us on Twitter @ALPAPilots.

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