Yesterday, ALPA President Lee Moak opened the 44th Board of Directors meeting with remarks touching on the state of the airline industry and how to improve the future for ALPA pilots. In his opening statement, he reiterated the deleterious effect of the 17 taxes and fees currently imposed on U.S. airlines by the federal government on pilot wages and jobs. As we’ve posted in the past, these taxes can amount to as much as 20% of an average ticket price, and are higher than sin taxes paid on tobacco, alcohol, and firearms.
Captain Moak stated, “The airline industry leads all others in America with 17 different external taxes and fees from the federal government. And let me repeat that: 17 taxes… How can we expect airline companies to succeed and pay their employees a decent livable wage commensurate with the training, the education and the experience they have if they’re unable to turn a profit? What we need is a pro-aviation government policy…”
VIDEO: Watch Captain Moak speak more about aviation taxes here.
ALPA’s white paper, “Leveling the Playing Field,” contains numerous pro-aviation policies covering tax policy, international competitiveness, and aviation safety. We look forward to working with Congress and the Administration to advance these policies and improve the business environment for both U.S. airlines and their employees. Read more about ALPA’s effort to level the playing field for airlines and their employees here.
