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Home » United Airlines » United’s Pilot Union Offers Cryptic Message On Alcohol Restriction
United Airlines

United’s Pilot Union Offers Cryptic Message On Alcohol Restriction

Matthew Klint Posted onAugust 14, 2019November 14, 2023 9 Comments

a white airplane with blue writing on it

Does the union representing pilots for United Airlines condemn or support recently announced alcohol restrictions? A cryptic statement makes it difficult to discern.

Earlier today, I wrote about United’s new ban on pre-flight alcohol consumption for pilots on duty. Overnight, the “bottle to throttle” rule went from an 8-hour consumption ban to a 12-hour consumption ban. Now pilots can not longer drink alcohol within 12 hours of a flight, a 50% increase in time.

I support the policy, even though I acknowledge that alcohol is simply not an issue for the overwhelming majority of safety professionals who fly for United. But I’m just a passenger and outside observer. What about pilots?

Brian Sumers, who broke the story on United’s revised guidelines, reached out to Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) for comment. Initially, ALPA declined to comment. But after the story went live and gained national headlines yesterday, ALPA finally responded…cryptically.

Inappropriate alcohol use by airline pilots is exceedingly rare, and United’s pilots will now be held to a 12-hour policy that is more stringent than the minimum FAA standard.

And so…?

It sounds like the first sentence of a statement that will either oppose or tacitly support the new policy. But which one?

Yes, it is rare. Yes, United pilots will be held to a stricter standard than the FAA requires. Pilots will also be held to a standard stricter than American, Delta, or Southwest holds its pilots too.

But I outlined earlier why it makes sense.

So, ALPA is just repeating two highly-publicized facts. What are we supposed to infer from that?

CONCLUSION

Personally, I think that is the way of ALPA covering its bases. I tend to think it opposes the new rule as a sign that United doesn’t trust its pilots or is overreacting. But the public loves “action” and United acted swiftly. Perhaps ALPA realized it would do more harm than good if it vocally opposed the new rules. So instead, it voted “present.”

What do you infer, if anything, from the cryptic ALPA statement?


image: United

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About Author

Matthew Klint

Matthew is an avid traveler who calls Los Angeles home. Each year he travels more than 200,000 miles by air and has visited more than 135 countries. Working both in the aviation industry and as a travel consultant, Matthew has been featured in major media outlets around the world and uses his Live and Let's Fly blog to share the latest news in the airline industry, commentary on frequent flyer programs, and detailed reports of his worldwide travel.

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9 Comments

  1. Brian G. Reply
    August 14, 2019 at 10:07 am

    I think it is a sign that the union internally is in disagreement about the policy but everyone agrees fighting it publicly will be a bad image.

    • David Reply
      August 15, 2019 at 11:40 am

      I have no issue with the change. I am a pilot too, but I dont drink alcoholic beverages ever. Never really liked either the taste or smell of the stuff.

    • Blah blah Reply
      August 16, 2019 at 3:23 am

      I’ve worked for a regional for 4 years that flies for both United and American, and our company policy is 12 hours and our pilots are also part of ALPA.

  2. James Reply
    August 14, 2019 at 10:15 am

    Why not just ban alcohol alltogether?

    • Will Reply
      August 14, 2019 at 10:31 am

      You can’t just ban alcohol all together… I would like to get Matt’s legal opinion on if he thinks this will stand up in court. I would think 2 things. One FAA already has a law on the matter and two it would appear to be to be a change is working conditions which under the NLRB could be a mandatory subject of bargaining…

      • Matthew Reply
        August 14, 2019 at 12:47 pm

        I’d have to read the contract and determine whether there is any discretionary wiggle room left to United on this issue. I’ll see if I can find it.

  3. MeanMeosh Reply
    August 14, 2019 at 10:26 pm

    Voting “present” is exactly what they’re doing. Clearly the ALPA doesn’t like it, but doesn’t want the PR s*itstorm that will follow if they criticize the policy.

  4. Steven S. Reply
    August 15, 2019 at 3:01 pm

    “Pilots will also be held to a standard stricter than American, Delta, or Southwest holds its passengers too.” Was this published as intended? Passenger rules are completely different than crew members.

    • Matthew Reply
      August 15, 2019 at 3:02 pm

      Pilots, not passengers.

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