Air Line Pilot March 2018 Ourunion
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March 2018 ALSOALSO ININ THISTHIS ISSUE:ISSUE: »» OurOur UnionUnion pagepage 55 »» OurOur StoriesStories pagepage 3434 »» ALPA@WorkALPA@Work pagepage 3232 Air PREPARING ALPA’S NEWEST PILOT Line LEADERS PilOt page 20 Official Journal of the Air Line Pilots Association, International page xx JETBLUE PILOTS PICKET COMPANY HEADQUARTERS page 10 Twitter Facebook Instagram PRINTED IN THE U.S.A. twitter.com/wearealpa facebook.com/WeAreALPA instagram.com/we_are_alpa MARCH 2018 CONTENTS VOLUME 87, NUMBER 2 ABOUT THE COVER Approximately 700 JetBlue pilots hold their first-ever informa- tional picketing event at JetBlue headquarters in Long Island City, N.Y. Cover photo by James Maher, James Maher Photography. Air Line Pilot (ISSN 0002-242X) is pub lished monthly except for combined January/ February and June/July issues by the Air Line Pilots Association, International, affiliated with AFL-CIO, CLC. Editorial Offices: 535 Herndon Parkway, Herndon, VA 20170. Telephone: 703-481-4460. Fax: 703-464-2114. Copyright © 2018—Air Line Pilots Association, Inter national, all rights reserved. Publica tion in any form without permission is prohibited. Air Line Pilot and the ALPA logo Reg. U.S. Pat. and T.M. Office. Federal I.D. 36-0710830. Periodicals postage paid at Herndon, VA 20170 and additional offices. Postmaster: Send address changes to Air Line Pilot, 535 Herndon Parkway, Herndon, VA 20170. Canadian Publications Mail Agreement #40620579 Canada Post: Return undeliverables to P.O. Box 2601, 6915 Dixie Rd, Mississauga, ON 20 L4T 0A9. COMMENTARY FEATURES 5 OUR UNION 20 TRAINING ALPA’S How Did We Get Here? FRONTLINE LEADERS 6 WEIGHING IN 24 ‘FATIGUE ‘You’re Never Alone’ MANAGEMENT: BEST PRACTICES AND LESSONS LEARNED’ 28 TAX REFORM: HOW 34 IT AFFECTS PILOTS’ EMPLOYEE FRINGE BENEFITS 30 ALL IN THE FAMILY DEPARTMENTS 34 OUR STORIES 7 PREFLIGHT United Pilot Transports Rescue Animals in Need 32 ALPA@WORK Diversity and Inclusion: 36 THE LANDING A Necessary Business Strategy Walk the Line 33 HEALTH WATCH 38 WE ARE ALPA 36 24 Flu, Flying, and What Pilots ALPA Resources and Contact Need to Know Numbers March 2018 Air Line Pilot » 3 Air LineBeyond Pilot Feature Article the » TITLE Page HERE Look for these icons throughout the magazine to get access to even more information, including additional content, videos, and audio clips—or to get feedback on a question. Read More Web Address Video Link Audio Link E-mail Address This is the only aisle we care about. ALPA-PAC is the most bipartisan labor PAC in the country. Conservative, liberal, or somewhere in between: we don’t care what side of the aisle they’re on, as long as they’re on our side. Back the PAC! www.ALPAPAC.org Disclaimer: The descriptions of the Air Line Pilots Association PAC are not a solicitation to contribute to the PAC. Only ALPA members, ALPA executives, senior administrative and professional staff personnel, and their immediate family members living in the same household are eligible to contribute to ALPA-PAC. ALPA-PAC maintains and enforces a policy of refusing to accept contributions from any other source. ALPA members may learn more about ALPA-PAC and about contributing to Photo: iStock.com Photo: ALPA-PAC by entering the members-only portion of www.alpa.org. A member service of Air Line Pilot. 4 » Air Line Pilot March 2018 OurUnion How Did We Get Here? ecently, you couldn’t turn on the television, enced pilots in the coming decades to keep the pick up a newspaper, or check your social U.S. aviation industry strong and competitive. R media feed without seeing the news that In addition to ensuring a high safety standard, 2017 was the safest year on record for commercial attracting new pilots to the profession also means passenger air travel. So how did we get here? How that the U.S. airline industry must offer aviators have we created and maintained the safest mode good salaries, a healthy work-life balance, and of transportation the world has ever known? predictable career progression. One-time bonuses And I do mean “we.” I’m confident that ALPA’s are no substitute for long-term contract improve- commitment to safety, security, and pilot assis- ments that pilots can count on as they pay for tance are among the reasons that flying is the school and raise their families. safest mode of transportation today. Our mem- And there are other actions we can take to bers have worked throughout our history to make attract and retain qualified and experienced flying safer and, today, airline pilots are “Trained pilots. For example, we can make certain that for Life.” U.S. military veterans can easily and affordably I’ve been an airline pilot for 28 years; I keep cur- transition into an airline pilot career. ALPA is also rent and fly the MD-88 as often as working with government and I can. But my training—and every industry organizations to reach ALPA member’s training—never I’ve been an out to underrepresented audienc- stops. That's because experience airline pilot for es to inspire them to consider the counts when operating complex “ profession. Hundreds of ALPA equipment in a changing environ- 28 years; I keep pilots volunteer to visit schools ment. As our union told USA Today each year. recently, “simulators can’t mimic current and fly We’re doing more than ever aspects of flight such as secondary the MD-88 as to build a strong and safe pilot vibrations in the cockpit, smells, a workforce in the future, but microphone stuck on the ground often as I can. we’re also focused on how our frequency, or a thunderstorm But my training— government and industry can do looming off the side of a plane that more to provide safe, reliable air nobody else notices.” and every service to communities all across Experience counts. And that’s ALPA member’s America, including those in rural why ALPA unequivocally supports areas. We have tremendous op- FAA first officer qualification and training—never portunities. As a start, Congress training regulations that resulted should ask the Department of from Congress’ passing the Airline stops. Transportation (DOT) to con- Safety and FAA Extension Act of vene a separate working group 2010. The results speak for themselves: In the to ”review eligible Essential Air Service markets. 20 years prior to the congressional action, more Lawmakers must also fund the Small Community than 1,100 passengers lost their lives in airline Air Service Development Program in its entirety. accidents. Since Congress acted, that number has ALPA is eager to continue to work with Congress, been reduced to zero. The current system allows the DOT, and our industry partners to achieve credit hours for different levels of training and these goals. flight-hour experience—and it’s working and In 2017, we celebrated the fact that we had keeping our industry safe. the safest year on record globally. All of us at ALPA pilots take tremendous pride in our con- ALPA should take tremendous pride in our work tribution to the safety of air transportation. That together to achieve this not once, but nine years pride is reflected in every action our union un- in a row in the United States. Together, we’ve done dertakes—and it shines through in the rundown something very meaningful: we’ve saved lives and of the safety resources available to ALPA mem- we’ve made our industry stronger—for ourselves bers that we provide at the Leadership Training and for the next generation. Conference. We know pilots in the future will want to be- come part of a U.S. airline industry that is no less safe. No one is more committed than we are to ensuring we have enough qualified and experi- Capt. Tim Canoll, ALPA President March 2018 Air Line Pilot » 5 WeighingIn ‘You’re Never Alone’ By Capt. Bill Couette, ALPA Vice President– Administration/Secretary LPA recently held its annual Leadership ble and share what pilots at comparable airlines Training Conference to welcome and train have negotiated in their contracts. Aour newest local council officers (see page ALPA’s Communications Department will help 20). The conference, conducted by Capt. David build your pilot group’s unity by suggesting the Farmer (Delta), chairman of the Association’s best communications tools to keep your mem- Leadership Committee, and other committee bers up to date and to solicit their feedback. members, gives your newly elected officers the These are just a few of the many benefits of opportunity to learn more about their responsi- belonging to ALPA, the largest and most influen- bilities and the vast resources that ALPA has to tial pilots’ union in the world. offer its members. And just like local council officers, all of During this year’s conference, I shared with ALPA’s members have access to the Association’s ALPA reps these three important words—“you’re unsurpassed resources. If any of us is called never alone.” After four days of discussion, pre- into a chief pilot’s office for disciplinary action, sentations, and other activities, I wanted them to an ALPA rep will go with us. If a health issue know that help is always available. threatens our medical certification, physicians Your local council representatives learned at ALPA’s aeromedical office are available to how to access subject-matter experts, including assist us. pilot committee volunteers and the union’s The Association offers workshops to help professional staff. We’re all just a phone call or fee-for-departure members advance to mainline e-mail away. They know how to find important flight decks. We provide furlough assistance documents like ALPA’s Constitution & By-Laws, to members whose carriers have shut down or Administrative Manual, and strategic plan.