Letter of Support for PAL Airlines Crew

As many of you may be aware there was a recent incident on a PAL Airlines Dash 8-400 flight from St. John’s, Newfoundland to Halifax, Nova Scotia. This flight was operating as AC2259.  There were 77 people on board. The aircraft had landed in Halifax when the crew declared a Mayday after the left main gear had collapsed. Even though there were some challenges and reported smoke in the cabin the crew safely evacuated the aircraft.

We are sending this letter of support to our membership at Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge, as well to our PAL airline brothers and sisters to show respect for those heroic crew members called upon to perform their safety and emergency procedures and who did so with great skill and composure.

We know that throughout history, flight attendants, when called upon to perform in adverse circumstances, are reliable, committed and selfless.  The reality is that Flight Attendants are aviation’s first responders. These crew members acted quickly and efficiently as they are trained to, and we extend to them our deepest respect for their role as safety professionals.

We can all use this incident to remember why we are onboard the aircraft and the important role that we play. We cannot understate the importance of our role. We are all one large collective who have come together for a common purpose which is safe and secure travel for the public and a high degree of professionalism.

We have been in contact with Mark Rice, CUPE Local President 5451, for PAL Airlines, to offer our full support and to offer any assistance we can provide. Our proud Airline Division family stands firmly behind you as you process and recover from this incident.

We remain steadfast in our commitment in highlighting our roles and responsibilities to safety and professionalism in the skies, and ensure we will continue to advocate for the highest safety standards throughout our industry.

In solidarity,