Air Line Pilots Association, International

The Air Line Pilots Association, International (ALPA) is the largest pilot union in the world, representing more than 79,000 pilots from 42 US and Canadian airlines. ALPA was founded on 27 July 1931 and is a member of the AFL-CIO and the Canadian Labour Congress. Known internationally as US-ALPA, ALPA is also a member of the IFALPA.

The association has been a staunch proponent of the "1,500-hour rule", which requires pilots for commercial airlines to log 1,500 hours of flying before they can obtain their license, which is vastly higher than the rules in other countries and has substantially increased the costs and time for prospective pilots to obtain certification.