US Airways Pilots Leave ALPA Fold

WASHINGTON, April 17 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ --- The National Mediation Board
(NMB) today announced that the pilots at US Airways have voted to leave the
Air Line Pilots Association, Int'l (ALPA) and form a separate union as their
collective bargaining representative. There were 5,238 eligible pilot voters.
Of them, 2,723 voted for the US Airline Pilots Association and 2,254 voted for
ALPA.

"I want to thank all of the pilots who fought for their union and their
futures during this tough campaign," said Capt. John Prater, president of
ALPA. "We were obviously hopeful that a majority of all US Airways pilots
would make a different decision."

The pilots who fly for the new US Airways flew previously for America West
Airlines and US Airways and have operated under separate Master Executive
Councils within the ALPA structure. A dispute among a number of US Airways
pilots arose over an independent arbitrator's decision regarding the pilots'
seniority, leading to a decertification effort and the NMB election.

"As an ALPA volunteer for nearly 20 years I have witnessed firsthand how ALPA
has helped individual pilots by saving their careers and by saving lives. It's
going to be extremely difficult for me personally and professionally to watch
what happens to this pilot group now," said Capt. Jack Stephan, chairman of
the US Airways pilot group. "Industry consolidation is inevitable, and the
economy is slowing. I believe that these challenges will be too much to ask of
an untested, under-funded union."

Over the last year, ALPA and many pilots from both groups have worked hard to
mutually resolve the pilots' differences and make progress in negotiations
with the company.
"We will not become victims of this unsuccessful merger," said Capt. John
McIlvenna, chairman of the America West pilot group. "The America West pilots
are unified and will fight for fair representation in order to protect our
careers and families."
Founded in 1931, ALPA is the world's largest pilot union, will now represent
more than 56,000 pilots at 41 airlines in the U.S. and Canada.

SOURCE Air Line Pilots Association, International

Pete Janhunen, Linda Shotwell, or Molly Martin, +1-703-481-4440,
media@alpa.org, all of ALPA