Pilots Union Plans Airport Pickets Over Airlines’ Performance

Frustrations over airline flight delays and cancellations aren’t just reserved for passengers.

Members of the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA), equally frustrated over the disruptions that have led to rampant schedule changes as well as fatigue, will picket at a dozen major airports across the U.S. this week, according to Travel Weekly.

The pickets are planned for Thursday, September 1. The protests, which have become a strong way for unions to draw attention from the flying public to issues with airline management, will take place in two-hour segments throughout the day at each airport.

The pickets will take place in Atlanta, Chicago (O’Hare), Detroit, New York (JFK), Las Vegas, Los Angeles (LAX), Minneapolis-St. Paul, Washington (Reagan National), Orlando, Salt Lake City, San Francisco and Seattle.

“It’s time to prioritize passengers and recognize the extraordinary sacrifices pilots made during the pandemic,” ALPA said in a prepared statement.

The pickets were timed to take place during the summer’s final peak travel period of Labor Day Weekend and come on the heels of the news that domestic carriers canceled 53,000 flights in the first six months of 2022.