FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: Captain Sander Mertz, 610-739-0050; First Officer Rick Brown III, 404-828-0093

Allied Pilots Association Members Participate in Gulf Coast Relief Efforts: "A Responsibility to Act"

FORT WORTH, TEXAS (October 16, 2018) — A group of American Airlines pilots are stepping up to help deliver water, food, medical supplies and other essentials to Gulf Coast residents in the wake of Hurricane Michael.

Operating from a command center at the Panama City Airport, the pilots have joined with Crossroads Alliance to provide much-needed relief to affected areas, including Mexico Beach and Port Saint Joe. "This storm was more powerful than Katrina," said Crossroads Alliance spokesman Steve Ewing. "The path of destruction is unbelievable. We really need your help — please direct your support to our website or our Facebook account where you can donate online."

"Good American jobs are a vital ingredient in funding the recovery of any devastated community," said First Officer Rick Brown III. "As professional pilots flying for the world's largest passenger carrier, we believe we have a responsibility to act when others are in need. We ask that our nation's policymakers remain mindful that without good American jobs, this kind of virtuous cycle isn't possible."

Crossroads Alliance operated 20 general aviation flights on Monday, shuttling loads from Ocala to Panama City. Crossroads Alliance air drops also brought supplies to inaccessible areas. Three semi-trucks supplied deliveries that aided immediate response and the provision of 2,000-plus daily meals. For a $20 donation, the organization can distribute approximately $160 worth of supplies thanks to its participating partners.

Crossroads Alliance is a faith-based nonprofit organization connecting donors of any background to people in need — whether from disaster or poverty — with life essentials such as water, food, medical supplies, and education. For more information or to contribute to the Hurricane Michael relief effort, visit www.Crossroadsam.org.

Founded in 1963, the Allied Pilots Association — the largest independent pilots union in the United States — is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas. APA represents the 15,000 pilots of American Airlines, including several hundred pilots on full-time military leave of absence serving in the armed forces. The union's website is AlliedPilots.org. American Airlines is the world's largest passenger airline.