Just as no other pilot union can match ALPA's influence on policy and industry activities at the national level, no other pilot union can approach ALPA's stature in relations with global airline affiliations and foreign governments. Only ALPA, the sole representative for pilots in both the U.S. and Canada for the International Federation of Air Line Pilots' Association (IFALPA), can represent you and your interests at significant international and regional forums—including ICAO, the aviation arm of the United Nations.

The Delta MEC plays an integral role in IFALPA, providing volunteers to engage at the international level to protect our pilots’ interest. By using ALPA's resources to participate more directly and globally in issues germane to the Association's representational responsibilities—preserving and enhancing global pilot standards in the areas of wages, working conditions, and other contractual issues in the collective bargaining process—only the Delta MEC, and other pilot groups within ALPA, can reduce the negative effects of global whipsawing, particularly among global airline system pilot groups, to benefit you and the airline piloting profession at large.

Globalization has forced IFALPA’s Member Associations to look beyond their borders for consensus, counsel, and support from the larger pilot community. The North American (NAM) Region provides a forum for ALPA pilots from Canada and the United States to explore issues and policies of mutual interest and concern, and to act as a single entity in the international arena on behalf of the entire piloting profession. Select ALPA members serve as NAM representatives, offering their input to policies at the IFALPA level and beyond.

These IFALPA connections also provide protection, support, and guidance to crews who find themselves in a bad situation on foreign soil. With ALPA’s specialized international network, you get insider knowledge of the local rules, customs, and investigative and government officials.

Delta MEC pilot volunteers also foster the collaboration between IFALPA and the three largest global pilot alliances—the SkyTeam Pilots Association (SPA), the Associations of Star Alliance Pilots (ASAP), and the Oneworld Cockpit Crew Coalition (OCCC). Each year, pilot leaders from across the globe gather for the Global Pilots’ Symposium, which brings together this select group to pose new questions concerning the industry and labor’s role and find new, innovative solutions to the challenges facing the airline industry.