Classic strawman argument.

You might want to look at the traffic that comes in and out of the U.A.E., it certainly isn't locals or people from the Middle East. A reason why Dubai and Abu Dhabi are perfectly centralized for a hub and spoke system to everywhere in the world. A lot of Indians and Asians.

It is business, plain and simple. The unions can throw up their arms, you can scream terrorists and Muslims, but this is business. Why is anyone surprised? The 11-1 expat ratio here is wonderful, and it is an eye opener. I think some on here should visit, and maybe they would understand how ignorant they sound. I am just counting the days to get this Administration changed, and turn America around. Cheers guys.

So why again is it important for the United States of AMERICA to fund and pay for a facility in a foreign country that benefits relatively few American citizens?

Glad you like it there. And thanks for resurrecting this thread. You reminded me to finish my letter to rubio.

IMO, it was a justifiable expenditure, but, you are certainly onto something... It highlighted an gross inconsistency. The PAC isn't there just to win, but to lobby for our interests.

I wonder how much Abu Dhabi money was thrown at this and who it went to.

I suppose you're a donor at the "President's Circle" level, and you're just venting your frustrations...

Exactly. I'm guessing there are many congressmen that got a little cream.

No PAC money was "thrown at this", that isn't how it works. The omnibus spending bill was "closed" as part of the agreement to get it passed. A congressman on the rules committee was able to have a vote called to open it for this issue, but failed on party lines. Over 150 congressmen signed a letter to DHS supporting the stoppage in the spring and there are over 140 co-sponsoring HR 3488, the most recent House effort to stop it. The bill is bi-partisan, sponsored with one Dem and one Rep, and the co-sponsors are split roughly 50/50. It has momentum right now and it is VERY IMPORTANT that all ALPA pilots complete the call to action on this issue. We can and will win, but you've got to do your part!

You have to care, your career will be lost without a little bit of effort.

It is an election year and PAC contributions can and will help put pilot partisan members in office and keep pilot partison members in their seats. $22/month-Capitol Club ($11 per paycheck) by every pilot would give the PAC amazing muscle in DC to fix what we need to fix.

That could be 53,000 x 22 x 12 = $13.99 million per year!
ALPA PAC currently does about $1 mil per year and is one of the top 50 PACs.. ALPA PAC could be in the top 5 and better funded than the NRA if we had full participation! Get involved!

Because of money, and money makes the world go round.

Your welcome. Sorry I was late, after a ten hour flight, much needed rest, and a round of golf, I apologize for being late. I know you have a voice on these threads, with over 9500 posts, and you need the final say, so I am glad I could remind you on your letter. Let us know how it goes t.

Valid point. Is there room at these airports for a checkpoint? Are the countries willing to go along with it?

Actually Asians and Indians are in the top three growing minorities in America. Like I said, the U.A.E carriers fly a lot to these destinations.

Done deal!

First flight from Abu Dhabi Pre-clearance facility marks sad day for U.S. airline industry - MarketWatch

I'm betting that Dubai is jumping for joy because they'll be next to get this as the US seemingly just rolls over and allows it. I work in the ME for one of these airlines and I wish the US had more guts to at least give a bit of a fight… but nope…. not a peep! And it was amazing to me how quietly this was all done…. Very much UNDER THE RADAR!!!

Remember back a few years ago Dubai Ports World wanted to run one of the US ports….? There was a big backlash there. They really dropped the ball on this one.

Kap

Taken from the article posted by KL.

The traffic rate at the Abu Dhabi airport for U.S.-bound passengers is less than 200 per day on average, making this a poor investment of U.S. taxpayers' increasingly limited resources.

Apparently not that many Asians and Indians are transiting through Abu Dhabi.

Put out by SWAPA? Sure this will have a tremendous impact on Southwest.

Why preclearance in Abu Dhabi is good for the U.S. | TheHill

Real Reason
 

What is the real reason for our Gvt allowing this facility? Is it all the Boeing orders from these carriers and strong lobby from Boeing and ME carriers combined? Promises made to our Gvt or promises being kept? There has to be much more to the story for so many in DC to go along with this facility. The general public has no clue about the issue at all. It slid right under the radar even with ALPA pushing hard on the issue. Seems the stuff of a good 60 minutes investigation to raise awareness. Our industry is for sale to meet the US Gvt necessity of the day.

Has management of DAL, AA, UAL, US formed a coalition voicing their opinions regarding Pre-Clearance? I would think the Board of Directors would address these issues to elected officers of the company.

Have pilots, through their unions, voiced objections to corporate management? I would think Airline Lobbyists have greater influence or pull in DC than APLA.

Livelihood seems to be the primary issue. How does ALPA play a roll in the corporate affairs of any entity?

Do you have any figures to refute their assertion of the user numbers?

Put out by a shill.

These are questions I think should be answered:
"How many people is this really going to serve?"
"What is the true amount of people transiting Abu Dhabi to the US?"
"What is the ROI for the taxpayer?"

Yes. A4A (formerly ATA) is the trade group for the corporate side of the airlines are jointly pushing the issue with ALPA.

Unfortunately UCAL is run by a moron and both UCAL and AMR are very busy still integrating their mergers. ALPA and DAL, along with A4A is all we've got right now that can put lots of focus on govt issues.

ALPA-PAC is considerably larger than A4A's PAC. They are NOT as visible or as effective as ALPA on Capitol Hill.

Traditional lobbying efforts have failed. Alpa PAC has fought the good fight but has repeatedly come up empty. It's past time to change tactics. Time to start negotiating in public with full page ads in the Wall Street Journal, NY Times, Washington Post & USA Today.

At what point is enough enough? Thus is JUST the beginning of Cabbotage. For those who say it can't/won't happen. You toss enough PAC money at the idiots in Congress and they'll pass anything. They'll sell it as a way to end the upcoming pilot shortage. Once this happens the surviving carriers will be left with Donestic narrow body's and that's it.

The Pre-screening facility needs to be shut down at any cost up to and including a nationwide SOS.

If not now...when?

Why preclearance in Abu Dhabi is good for the U.S. | TheHill

The facility will save money for the U.S. government. The U.A.E. has agreed to cover 85% of the costs associated with the preclearance facility. These costs — including the salaries of CBP officers and the expense of operating systems — would otherwise be incurred at the U.S. airport of arrival and thus borne by the U.S. government. It is worth noting that even though the U.A.E. is picking up a major part of the tab, it will have no voice in the operation of the facility and no say over the official screening decisions or procedures of the CBP officers. In this time of fiscal austerity, a new preclearance facility in Abu Dhabi is an innovative and effective way to enhance U.S. security and save money at the same time.

What a total load of bullsqueeze. When it doesn't meet the standards, lower the standards. That's the new American way.

This will turn out to be tragic, there is no doubt whatsoever. But I am sure there will be no pressure brought to bear on which "locals" to hire, or if there isn't there will be absolute security for those Americans that are stationed there, and their families. Nothing for people with nefarious intent to grab onto here... naaaaaaah. The UAE just bought a pipeline right into the heart of America's security, and nobody cares because the bills are paid.

They will not stop. Ever.

I pray you are wrong T but it is very disconcerting.

Here is an article that I read years ago, that IMHO sums all this up pretty well. pilotrob and those that are getting paychecks from these same people are too close to the forest to see the trees. I don't care how nice they are on the surface, islamists wants to destroy our way of life, and given a choice and chance, they will. This facility is an opportunity that will be exploited. Those that believe otherwise are naive.

And I have no idea who this officer is that made this speech, but I think it is pretty spot on. HArd to argue with history.

T, we have had wonderful conversations, and I of course appreciate your feedback on APC. Though we disagree in many regards, I always appreciate someone with an opinion and that can back in up with facts. This above statement sounds so close minded, and it smells of bigotry. You brought up Islamists, or Muslims, is this your take on Muslims world wide? Let's try to keep an open mind here. Some of the nicest people I have ever met in my life are from Iran, U.A.E., Syria, etc. Are there extremists with religion? Do some ruin it for the rest? Not everything out here is what you watch on Fox News, and I wish more Americans or people in general would stop putting people in categories based on color, religion, sex, etc. If you disagree with the government on this, cheers, and best of luck. But planes in to towers and the generalization of the Middle East population sounds very ignorant. People here are the same as home, they want the best for their families, and are very open and love America and what it stands for. Please don't confuse the majority for Islamists terrorists.

I can burn an American flag in my frontyard. Can you burn a koran in yours?

Well said T, I wish there were more people in this world that thought different than you. Safe flying!

Some of us choose to spend our time trying to make the world a better place. Good luck with your efforts.

Too far from home for real oversight from security breaches of the technolgy that can be hacked by the nogoodnicks. That security aspect outweighs the everything else.

"You can safely assume that you've created God in your own image, if it turns out that your God hates the same people you do." - Anne Lamott.

That's profound.

redacted..

That article was written by the paid lobbying group for the UAE. It is not impartial, and it is misleading at best.

"85% of the cost is borne by the UAE". Spending 15% of the cost to move less than 500 pax per day is still a waste of our already overdressed tax dollars.

The 15% could better be deployed at US airports where THOUSANDS of passengers transit daily, AND doesn't use US taxpayer dollars to damage US tax-paying companies and US tax-paying citizens. If US companies and citizens earn less income, they won't pay as much in taxes... How is that good for the US Treasury?

It's like Coke buying a soft drink machine for Pepsi. Not good business.

Interesting. The Christian God hates no one.

:) good. We are making progess. Remember that in your opinion about your fellow human beings ..

When I hear a real islamic leader.. not just somebody out there for publicity sake... condemn 9/11, and bring a few murderers to justice.. (Benghazi) I will change my opinion. It's been 13 years, and I am still waiting.

Well, except for "People who are intolerant of other people's cultures, and the Dutch!"

http://static.fjcdn.com/pictures/Dut...c6_4270628.jpg

What happened to the other cheek ? Should we apologize for the crusades ?