Release #: 20.03
March 25, 2020

ALPA Applauds Agreement on U.S. Airline Stimulus Package


McLEAN, VA—Capt. Joe DePete, president of the Air Lines Pilots Association, Int’l (ALPA), issued the following statement today after Congress and the White House announced they have reached agreement on an airline stimulus package:

“ALPA is pleased that the U.S. Congress and the White House have reached an agreement and we urge Congress to swiftly pass this bill to help stabilize the airline industry and protect frontline aviation workers. From the outset, ALPA maintained that any economic relief bill must put workers first to keep airplanes flying and help move our economy. We are especially glad that this robust package to immediately stabilize the industry includes grants for worker payroll as well as protections for the integrity of collective bargaining agreements.

“As the world’s largest airline pilots union, ALPA’s resounding voice was heard through the halls of Congress this week as tens of thousands of pilots sent more than 130,000 letters to their elected representatives and engaged extensively on social media urging lawmakers to protect pilot jobs by bringing economic relief and stability to our vital industry.

“ALPA pilots applaud the fact that the economic relief package contains provisions to limit furloughs, protect our contracts, and ensure that federal assistance is used to pay airline employees’ salaries and benefits, not executive compensation or corporate stock buybacks.

“Now and always, airline pilots are adhering to the high standards of professionalism that we demand of ourselves—and that our passengers and shippers expect. Airline pilots are considered ‘essential’ to the U.S. economy, especially in challenging times.

“ALPA applauds the bipartisan effort, especially the contributions of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Peter DeFazio, and Senate Commerce Committee Ranking Member Maria Cantwell, that led to this critical, proworker legislation that will stabilize the U.S. airline industry and make certain that the same frontline workers who keep it moving safely each and every day also share in the economic relief it receives.”

Founded in 1931, ALPA is the largest airline pilot union in the world and represents over 63,000 pilots at 35 U.S. and Canadian airlines. Visit the ALPA website at alpa.org or follow us on Twitter @WeAreALPA.

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