May 11, 2000, ROSEMONT, IL — The United Airlines Pilots Master Executive Council (UAL-MEC), a unit of the Air Line Pilots Association, International (ALPA), expresses its strong objections to public statements made by United Airlines management and public contact personnel blaming the United Airlines pilots for flight cancellations and delays. Capt. Rick Dubinsky, UAL-MEC chairman, said: "The fact of the matter is that beginning last year, ALPA has been advising United management that a pilot shortage was imminent.

Now that that shortage has become a reality, the company is blaming the United pilots for its own inability to properly staff and manage this airline. What is currently occurring is exactly what ALPA has been predicting all along—a situation that the company has decided to either deny or simply ignore. I am astounded and appalled by United Airlines’ treatment of its pilots." Capt.

Dubinsky intends to promptly discuss with United senior management the pilots’ extreme displeasure regarding such public accusations, and demand that United immediately cease these false allegations. The UAL-MEC represents approximately 10,000 United Airlines pilots. The pilots own approximately 25 percent of all outstanding shares of the company. United has been employee-owned since July 12, 1994, and its majority stockholders are its employees.