ALPA to DOT: Block SkyWest Request for Charter Certificate

ALPA president Capt. Joe DePete described SkyWest’s proposal as purposefully deceitful. He said it would undermine safety standards because it would allow the airline to avoid critical first officer qualification rules that apply to Part 121 operations, but not Part 135. That means the airline could hire pilots at less than the requirements of the 1,500-hour rule.

Michael Wildes

Wednesday, August 03, 2022 at 03:57 PM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

• The Air Line Pilots Association International (ALPA) has formally opposed SkyWest Airlines' request for a Part 135 air charter certificate, criticizing it as a "scheme to skirt first officer qualifications."
• SkyWest seeks the charter certificate to re-enter small cities it exited due to pilot shortages, as it would allow them to hire first officers with as little as 500 flight hours, compared to the 1,500 hours generally required for Part 121 carriers.
• ALPA argues that approving SkyWest's request would undermine established air safety standards, set a dangerous precedent, and potentially allow the airline to shift operations to less regulated Part 135 rules without sufficient safety oversight.
• SkyWest assures that the charter operation would maintain "exceptionally high standards of safety and service," utilizing the same rigorous safety management systems and internal pilot qualification processes as its commercial Part 121 flights, emphasizing no compromise to safety.

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