(Washington, DC – March 6, 2021) The Coalition of Airline Pilots Associations (CAPA), representing over 30,000 professional passenger and cargo airline pilots, applauds Congress’s efforts to ensure that the aviation industry will continue to have the necessary funding and essential personnel to support the ongoing COVID vaccine relief effort.

“Since the beginning of this pandemic, CAPA has advocated tirelessly for legislators to secure critical funding to keep airline pilots flying and the supply chain moving,” stated CAPA President Capt. Larry Rooney. “We are encouraged by the vision Congress has shown by including provisions for a payroll support extension (PSP) to serve as a critical investment for both the airline industry and our nation’s economic recovery,” he added.

Additionally, the air cargo industry, which has been dutifully shouldering the burden of providing critically necessary supplies, and now life-saving vaccine, is dependent on passenger airlines to transport their crews to locations around the globe to support their operations.

CAPA believes that there has never been a more critical time for the decisive Government leadership shown today, which fully recognizes the airline industry’s employee’s ability to carry us through this unprecedented economic and heath safety crisis.

“We commend our elected Senate officials for their actions in passing the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. This legislation will ensure that COVID-19 Emergency Relief funding is now solidly on its way to being signed into law by President Biden,” added CAPA President Capt. Rooney.

 

About CAPA: The Coalition of Airline Pilots Associations is the world’s largest professional pilot trade association representing more than 30,000 professional passenger and cargo airline pilots at carriers including American Airlines (Allied Pilots Association), UPS Airlines (Independent Pilots Association), ABX Air, Horizon Airlines, Southern Air, Silver Airways, Cape Air, Omni Air (Teamsters Local 1224), Republic Airways (Teamsters Local 357) and Atlas Air (Teamsters Local 2750).