Management Sells Out Hundreds Of Pilots, Threatens Families

The Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l (ALPA) released a scathing critique of FedEx management, who in its April flying schedule has outsourced all European intra-region 757 routes formerly flown by ALPA FedEx pilots to foreign third-party contractors.

FedEx has maintained a pilot base in Cologne, Germany, in support of its giant European hub at Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) in Paris, its largest air cargo hub in Europe and second largest in the world. Hundreds of American pilots and their families have lived in Europe to fly those routes.

FedEx closed the Cologne base in 2024 and said it was moving those routes to Memphis-based pilots. Since then the company has cut European mainline 757 flying and with its new schedule release in April, all of the routes flown by ALPA pilots have been outsourced.

Capt. Jose Nieves, FedEx ALPA Master Executive Council chair said, “This move threatens the very future of FedEx pilots. FedEx pilots and their families have built careers dedicated to the company’s global mission, only to watch management ship our jobs overseas and give the flying to foreign carriers.”

Nieves continued, “The reality is clear—European FedEx 757 pilot flights have been completely replaced by third-party contract carriers. Instead of utilizing highly trained and experienced FedEx ALPA pilots, the Corporation has chosen to outsource these jobs to foreign operators.

“Recently, FedEx Executive Chairman Fred Smith signaled growth in the Far East market. One can only wonder whether those will be FedEx pilots flying under our established routes or if they will be outsourced as well.”

FMI:  www.alpa.org/