ALPA Road Show Meets Memphis

On the latest stop in the road show tour of North America, Capt. John Prater and other ALPA leaders met with more than 75 pilot members and their families in Memphis, Tenn., on May 15.

Prater was joined by Capt. David Webb, FedEx Express MEC chairman; Capt. Joe Fagone (FedEx), an ALPA executive vice-president; Capt. Tom Wychor, Mesaba MEC chairman; Capt. Ray Miller, Northwest Airlines MEC vice-chairman and an ALPA executive vice-president; and Capt. Wake Gordon, Pinnacle Airlines MEC chairman.

ALPA’s President framed both the opportunities and challenges that the union faces as the U.S. airline industry emerges from the post-9/11 bankruptcy era. Each of the MEC chairmen briefed road show participants on the latest developments at his airline. All of the speakers underscored the Association’s unified approach to dealing with management, as demonstrated recently by ALPA pilots’ joining other pilot groups’ informational picketing.

Prater responded to members’ questions about the mandatory pilot retirement age, airline mergers, and ongoing efforts by the administration to allow greater foreign control of U.S. airlines. Pilots in attendance represented Atlas Air Cargo, FedEx Express, Mesaba, Northwest, Pinnacle, and US Airways.

After spending nearly 2 hours presenting his views and answering pilots’ questions, Prater left Memphis to meet with America West pilots in Phoenix. Webb and Miller both remained with participants to ensure that all questions received a full response.