International Pilot Symposium
March 15, 2000
Washington, D.C.

The Air Line Pilots Association's International Pilot Symposium gathered together representatives of nine U.S. and Canadian pilot groups as well as the International Federation of Air Line Pilots Associations (IFALPA) to discuss the future of global aviation.  In his opening statement, Duane Woerth, president of the Air Line Pilots Association, observed that, "...if U.S. and Canadian carriers are to continue to be competitive in world markets, their leaders must be attuned to news about, and remain at the epicenter of, activities in the global marketplace.  The need to remain on the 'cutting edge' regarding industry developments also extends to airline labor, especially if we want to have a voice in how the future will ultimately shape our profession."

Symposium participants were addressed by Rodney Slater, Secretary, U.S. Department of Transportation; John Sweeney, President, AFL-CIO; Jane Garvey, Administrator, Federal Aviation Administration; and Jim Hall, Chairman, National Transportation Safety Board.

Increasingly complex international issues influence the present and future courses of aviation in North America and the rest of the world.  During the conference, issues with critical implications for the future of the industry and the piloting profession were discussed, including global alliances, cabotage, foreign ownership, and the influence of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and other international governing organizations on the aviation industry.

The morning began with opening remarks and introductions by ALPA President Woerth.  He pinpointed three areas that are shaping the landscape and changing the rules by which the airline industry operates:  open skies, international code-sharing, and anti-trust immunity.  "We are not here to discuss the last 10 years, but to steer, guide, and shape the next ten years," Captain Woerth stated before he introduced John W. Sweeney, President, AFL/CIO.

AFL-CIO President John Sweeney addressed the group and emphasized the AFL-CIO's continuing support for ALPA's stance on the open skies initiative, foreign ownership, and cabotage.  "The way to make it work is common sense regulation," concluded Sweeney.

"Aviation is building the world marketplace," said FAA Administrator Jane Garvey.  She spoke of the evolving aviation regulations, the FAA's commitment to maintaining the highest level of safety, and the value she places on pilot input to FAA issues.

National Transportation Safety Board Chairman Jim Hall remarked on the responsibility of the NTSB to all parts of the aviation system.  He spoke of the changing environment and congratulated the group for examining the global future of the industry.

In his keynote address to the Symposium attendees, Department of Transportation Secretary Rodney Slater echoed FAA Administrator Jane Garvey's earlier comments commending airline pilots for making safety a top priority.   He focused in part on the economical and societal consequences of globalization.   He summed up his remarks by stating, "Safety is our North Star by which we are guided and judged."

Panel Discussions:
**Additional presentation information is available on the members only site.
    Trade and Regulatory Issues
    Labor Law and Collective Bargaining
    Globalization and Pilot Alliances

Press Release