Alaska Pilots Raise Funds, Distribute Checks to Furloughees 

T'is the season... as ALPA tells us that Alaska Airlines’ furloughed pilots recently received a holiday gift from their fellow pilots in the form of a check. In a little more than a month, Alaska Airlines’ pilots—joined by some of Alaska Airlines’ crew schedulers and planners and management—contributed $24,000 to the Furloughed Pilots Christmas Fund, the brainchild of Alaska First Officers Will McQuillen and Nate Chilman, who both were furloughed from a different carrier prior to coming to work at Alaska.

When it began collecting funds in November, the Fund set a goal to raise enough to send every furloughed pilot $100. Instead, an overwhelming outpouring of support contributed enough to send more than twice that, or just over $230, to 103 of the 106 furloughed pilots. Three furloughed pilots who have found new jobs contacted the MEC and asked not to receive any of the money, requesting instead that their share be distributed among the other pilots on furlough.

“Our hope is that this gift will help make the holidays a little brighter for our fellow pilots and their families and will remind them that they remain in our hearts and minds as we enter the new year,” said Alaska furlough coordinator F/O Jeff Browand.

This is a tough business... one that has lost much of its luster over the last few years... but this sure proves that the spirit of kinship among aviators is alive and well. Good for Alaska's pilots...

FMI: www.alpa.org