United Pilots: Management's Continued Outsourcing Plan 'Unconscionable'

CHICAGO, Oct. 8 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- United Airlines' acknowledgement
that it will continue pursuing an "innovative" arrangement with Aer Lingus
despite both airlines laying off employees is an insult to employees on both
sides of the Atlantic, according to the pilots of United Airlines.

Last January, United announced an agreement with Aer Lingus that it will
operate flights between Washington, D.C. and Madrid using non-United pilots on
the flights. The arrangement is simply a clever way of outsourcing flying to a
foreign carrier, according to the pilots.

It has been announced that Aer Lingus plans on cutting a sixth of its
workforce. United quickly replied that Aer Lingus' cutbacks won't affect its
unprecedented outsourcing scheme in the Washington-to-Madrid arrangement with
Aer Lingus.

"It is simply unconscionable to see how management can continue to stab the
very people in the back who have made this airline fly," said Captain Steve
Wallach, chairman of the United Master Executive Council of the Air Line
Pilots Association. "With United's plans to furlough nearly 1,500 pilots and
siphon marketing money from its own operation to pour into this venture, it is
inexcusable for this same management team to turn around and utilize
non-United pilots to fly the Washington-to-Madrid route.

"United has made claims that they can't operate this route themselves because
they claim it isn't profitable. Yet, they have refused to meet with the
employees to see how United can make this route profitable. ALPA has made
several attempts to work with United management to save pilot jobs and to
prevent such ventures as the United/Aer Lingus arrangement. We have been
rebuffed at every turn. United management obviously has no interest in keeping
Washington/Madrid a United flight."

Captain Wallach says United claims the arrangement with Aer Lingus will
enhance revenue for the corporation, which in turn would provide a more secure
future for the employees of the airline. Captain Wallach says such an attitude
flies in the face of reality, considering the number of lost jobs that will
result.

"It may be revenue-positive for the corporation but it's certainly not
revenue-positive for the pilots and other employees whose jobs will be
outsourced," said Captain Wallach.

The Air Line Pilots Association has launched a legislative campaign to ensure
that U.S. airline workers are treated fairly in alliances between U.S. and
foreign carriers. ALPA is seeking legislation that would guarantee that U.S.
airlines do a reasonable share of the international flying conducted by the
airlines that seek antitrust immunity for such revenue-sharing ventures as the
UAL/Aer Lingus arrangement.

SOURCE United Chapter of the Air Line Pilots Association

Dave Kelly of the United Chapter of the Air Line Pilots Association,
+1-847-292-1708, david.kelly@alpa.org