50 Years of Pilots, Politics, and ALPA’s Collective Voice in Washington

How ALPA-PAC Became the Foundation for Pilot Advocacy on Capitol Hill

In November 1975, ALPA’s Executive Board took a decisive step that would formalize the Association’s political engagement for generations to come. By unanimous vote, the board approved a resolution establishing the ALPA Political Action Committee (ALPA-PAC), marking the beginning of a new era in how airline pilots collectively participate in the federal political process.

At its most recent meeting this past October, the Executive Board took a moment to acknowledge the 50th anniversary of the creation of ALPA-PAC, noting its significance as one of the key tools ALPA relies on for effective pilot advocacy.

The members who occupied positions of leadership on the Executive Board back in 1975 understood that decisions made far from the flight deck can profoundly shape the safety, stability, and future of the profession. From flight-time limitations to security policy and training standards, pilots have long known that meaningful engagement with lawmakers is essential to protecting both the profession and the traveling public.

A resolution was put forward by the Executive Board that authorized ALPA-PAC to receive voluntary contributions from Association members, retain those donations in a segregated fund, and disburse the contributions from time to time for political purposes in accordance with the best interests of the union. The board deliberated at length, approving by-laws that complied fully with federal law and established ALPA-PAC, a federal political action committee registered with the Federal Elections Commission.

Advancing Pilot Interests in the Regulatory Process

The PAC was designed to be transparent, member-driven, and focused squarely on advancing pilot interests through the electoral process by supporting candidates for federal office who were believed to be in general agreement with the Association’s objectives.

“ALPA members are vitally affected by the actions of elected officials at the federal level every day of their lives,” said Capt. John J. O’Donnell (Eastern, Dec.), then the union’s president. “The laws, rules, and regulations they bring into being and the influence they wield on governmental agencies through the legislative process must be recognized by our members. Active support of legislation of interest to ALPA by those elected to the Senate and House can mean much to all airline pilots in terms of job security, personal well-being, and even safe operation of their aircraft.”

The creation of ALPA-PAC coincided with a significant investment in professional political engagement. The Association appointed Robert F. Bonitati, a former director of congressional relations for the White House Office of Management and Budget, as special assistant to the president for congressional relations. Bonitati became the first ALPA staff member charged with administering the PAC.

In the November 1975 issue of Air Line Pilot, Bonitati outlined the complexities of the federal legislative process and the many obstacles facing aviation-related legislation. Effective advocacy required not only sound arguments and technical expertise, but sustained relationships built with political support. For the first time in the union’s history, ALPA members had a collective, structured means of supporting those relationships through voluntary financial participation.

Establishing ALPA’s Reputation Through Deregulation and Other Challenges

ALPA-PAC’s early years dovetailed with one of the most consequential periods in airline history. Economic deregulation was gaining momentum, culminating in the Airline Deregulation Act of 1978. The law reshaped airline economics, accelerated competition and consolidation, and introduced new pressures on safety oversight and labor stability. During this period of rapid change, the PAC emerged as a critical tool for ensuring that pilots’ concerns were heard on Capitol Hill. By supporting candidates who prioritized safety, responsible oversight, and fair labor practices, ALPA-PAC helped the Association navigate an uncertain transition and establish lasting relationships that would prove essential in the decades ahead. With these early experiences, ALPA quickly learned that if you weren’t at the table, you’d be on the menu. The PAC helped to ensure that the union would be at the table for future issues and debates impacting airline pilots.

The political climate of the 1980s presented additional challenges for organized labor, even as new safety and security issues emerged across the industry. ALPA-PAC strengthened its relationship-building approach, focusing on aviation issues and ensuring that federal candidates knew the Association and its priorities.

By the 1990s, ALPA’s reputation as a global leader in aviation safety was firmly established. Advances in fatigue science, human factors research, training standards, and accident investigation increasingly depended on congressional support and sustained federal funding. The PAC complemented the union’s technical expertise by helping educate and elevate lawmakers who championed safety research, FAA modernization, and evidence-based regulation. ALPA-PAC’s work helped ensure that decisions affecting pilots and passengers alike reflected operational realities from the flight deck.

The Pilot-Partisan Approach

In the next decade, ALPA focused on a pilot-partisan philosophy—supporting lawmakers who understood aviation safety and respected pilot professionalism regardless of party affiliation—which became a defining characteristic of the PAC. It’s enabled the Association to remain effective across shifting political landscapes and to maintain credibility with lawmakers on both sides of the aisle. This philosophy holds true today and makes ALPA a standout compared to other labor unions in terms of building relationships with both political parties.

Engagement Following Tragedies

Few events underscored the importance of political engagement more starkly than the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. Overnight, aviation security became a national priority, and Congress moved swiftly to reshape the system. ALPA-PAC helped build relationships with lawmakers who advanced critical reforms, including hardened flight deck doors and programs like the Federal Flight Deck Officer program, recognizing pilots as a vital component of aviation security.

The crash of Colgan Air Flight 3407 in 2009 exposed systemic weaknesses in training, fatigue management, and oversight, particularly in regional airline operations. The legislative response that followed represented one of the most significant aviation safety reforms since deregulation. ALPA-PAC built relationships that helped position ALPA as a trusted resource as these programs received input from the Association’s subject-matter experts. And the PAC played a long-term role by supporting lawmakers who championed enhanced training standards and strengthened qualification requirements and evidence-based fatigue rules, reforms that continue to define the profession today.

A 50-Year Legacy

Fifty years after its creation, ALPA-PAC remains a voluntary, member-driven instrument for political advocacy, even as the political landscape continues to evolve. Since the 2024 election, 41 members of Congress have left or are leaving office at the end of this session of Congress, including key aviation allies like Rep. Don Bacon (R-NE-2). Each departure brings uncertainty, but also opportunity. ALPA’s Government Affairs staff is already working to identify and support new champions for aviation safety and pilot interests. As it enters its sixth decade, ALPA-PAC remains central to that effort.

As Capt. Wendy Morse, ALPA’s first vice president and national safety coordinator, who also serves as ALPA-PAC treasurer, reported to the Executive Board at its most recent meeting that the PAC’s collective advocacy strength continues to grow.

Participation across the union now stands at 26 percent, reflecting steady gains in engagement. During the current election cycle, ALPA-PAC raised more than $3 million and contributed nearly $2.6 million, supporting pilot-partisan, prosafety candidates. Contributions were carefully balanced—54 percent to Democrats and 46 percent to Republicans—reinforcing ALPA’s long-standing commitment to bipartisan advocacy.

The Behncke 1931 Club, which was launched in 2023 to recognize the PAC’s most committed supporters, has grown rapidly, with more than 300 members who contribute at elevated levels. In addition, a growing number of pilots have stepped forward as maximum contributors, strengthening ALPA-PAC’s ability to engage effectively on Capitol Hill. Their leadership is shaping the policies that will govern the airline piloting profession for future generations.

But political engagement extends well beyond campaign contributions. Since opening ALPA’s offices on Capitol Hill, just two blocks from the U.S. Capitol building, the Association has hosted more than 200 members of the House and Senate for one-on-one meetings and other gatherings. These interactions help ensure that policy makers understand how legislative decisions affect flight safety, security, and pilot livelihoods in real-world operations.

“ALPA’s efforts in Congress are substantially improved by our ability to build relationships with potential champions and key policy makers with ALPA-PAC,” said Morse. “The ability of ALPA’s Government Affairs staff and pilot advocates to promote the Association’s legislative objectives is greatly enhanced by the support ALPA has among the 535 members of Congress, many of whom fly to and from D.C. on a weekly basis.”

When the union’s Executive Board voted unanimously in 1975 to establish a political action committee, its members understood that effective advocacy couldn’t be episodic or reactive. It had to be institutional, sustained, and driven by pilots themselves. Fifty years later, that insight remains as relevant as ever. ALPA-PAC’s history isn’t simply a record of elections and legislation, but a testament to pilots taking responsibility for the policies that shape their profession, and to the enduring power of a unified pilot voice in Washington.