NEWS

WIRES

OTHER

Allied Pilots Association on "Known Crewmember" Program: "Great Step Forward" in Aviation Security

"The Allied Pilots Association has invested considerable resources in Known Crewmember's development and we are gratified to see it come to fruition," said APA President Captain Dave Bates. "The introduction of full-body scanners last year was the catalyst for our pilots to say 'enough is enough.' We knew there had to be a better way to address the issue of security screening for our pilots, who were adamantly opposed to the additional radiation exposure they would receive via the scanners."

APA and the Coalition of Airline Pilots Associations (CAPA) responded by pressing for a more common-sense approach. APA persuaded American Airlines senior management to get involved, which resulted in American Airlines Corporate Security writing the programming code for Known Crewmember. American Airlines then provided the Air Transport Association (ATA) with the code for implementation and support. ATA is hosting the servers that will query airline databases when TSA Transportation Security Officers process pilots for entrance to the Security Identification Display Area. The TSA will continue conducting random searches to help ensure the new system's integrity.

"Known Crewmember's rapid implementation is a testament to what can be accomplished when government, industry and labor work cooperatively," Bates said. "On behalf of the APA leadership, I want to thank TSA Administrator Pistole for his commitment to pursuing common-sense solutions to crewmember security concerns.

"Known Crewmember demonstrates our government's confidence in pilots as trusted agents. Most importantly, it's a great step forward in aviation security that further enhances the TSA's ability to secure our nation's airports."

Founded in 1963, the Allied Pilots Association-the largest independent pilot union in the U.S.-is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas. APA represents the 11,000 pilots of American Airlines, including more than 1,000 pilots not yet offered recall from furlough. The furloughs began shortly after the September 11, 2001 attacks. Also, several hundred American Airlines pilots are on full-time military leave of absence serving in the armed forces. The union's Web site address is www.alliedpilots.org. American Airlines is the nation's largest international passenger carrier and fifth-largest cargo carrier.

The Allied Pilots Association (APA)
Captain Sam Mayer, 817-302-2350 or 203-731-1112
or
Gregg Overman, 817-302-2250 or 817-312-3901