PRESS RELEASE
23PRL0227 March 2023

Global Pilot Leaders Unite to KeepTwo Pilots on the Flight Deck
IFALPA, ECA, ALPA Join Forces against a new threat to safety –Reduced Crew Operations
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEMONTREAL, BRUSSELS, WASHINGTON, D.C. —Leaders of the world’s largest pilotorganizations today announced a global coalition to prevent airlines and manufacturers
from pushing ahead with plans to remove pilots from the flight deck, a profit-driven
scheme that poses a significant safety risk. Pilot representatives from the International
Federation of Air Line Pilots’ Associations (IFALPA), the European Cockpit Association(ECA), and Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l (ALPA) vowed to take collective action toprotect the flying public and counter an aggressive corporate-led lobbying campaign
targeting regulators around the world, including the International Civil Aviation
Organization (ICAO).
“Whether you depart from New York, San Francisco, or Atlanta bound for London, Paris,or Tokyo, a crew of at least two qualified, experienced, trained, and rested airline pilots
is at the controls on the flight deck of your plane. Every aspect of your flight—theaircraft, its systems, the regulations, and standards that apply to the flight, and theprocedures that pilots follow—is deliberately designed for a team working together on
the flight deck,” wrote ALPA President Capt. Jason Ambrosi, IFALPA President Capt. Jack
Netskar, and ECA President Capt. Otjan de Bruijn in a recent opinion piece.
A 2017 study by NASA and the Federal Aviation Administration identified unacceptablesafety risks posed by single-pilot flight operations, especially during abnormal eventsand emergencies. Yet, some airlines and aircraft manufacturers are currently pressuring
international aviation bodies to put profits first and introduce an unacceptable level ofsafety risk to commercial aviation. Professional pilots embrace and support newtechnology on the flight deck that enhances safety; however, they unanimously agree
that removing skilled aviators from the flight deck—so-called reduced-crew
operations—will increase risk and compromise safety.

Despite developments in automation and improved technologies on the flight deck, twopilots at the controls remain the most important safety features of an aircraft. Pilots
eliminate system-failure scenarios and act as a critical onboard backup for failedsystems, bridge technology gaps, and adapt in real-time and in the real environment tounanticipated situations and emergencies. Technology, no matter how sophisticated, isnot a replacement for pilots on the flight deck.
The global pilot community, including the Associations of Star Alliance Pilots, theOneworld Cockpit Crew Coalition, and the SkyTeam Pilots Association, are united in thefight against reduced-crew operations and will do everything in their power to ensure
the current standards that have made aviation the safest form of transportation in theworld will not be eroded. For more information on these collective efforts, visit
https://safetystartswith2.com/.
###IFALPA Media Contact:
Emily Bitting, Senior Communications Specialist, emilybitting@ifalpa.org
The International Federation of Air Line Pilots’ Associations represents more than 150,000
pilots in nearly 100 countries. The mission of IFALPA is to promote the highest level ofaviation safety worldwide and to be the global advocate of the piloting profession,
providing representation, services, and support to both our members and the aviationindustry. Visit IFALPA.org for more information.
The European Cockpit Association is the representative body of over 40,000 pilots fromacross Europe, striving for the highest levels of aviation safety and fostering social rights
and quality employment for pilots in Europe. For further information, please visit
the Media Room.
Founded in 1931, ALPA is the largest airline pilot union in the world and represents morethan 67,000 pilots at 39 U.S. and Canadian airlines. Visit ALPA.org or follow us on
Twitter @ALPAPilots.

©2023 The International Federation of Air Line Pilots’ Associations. This publication is provided for information purposes only, in allcases pilots should follow their company’s guidance and procedures. In the interest of flight safety, reproduction of this publication inwhole or in part is encouraged. It may not be offered for sale or used commercially. All reprints must credit IFALPA.

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