1 / Is there any truth to the claims of dues mismanagement or FPL abuse?

Allegations of dues mismanagement or Flight Pay Loss (FPL) abuse have circulated throughout this election cycle, often without any supporting evidence. These narratives are not new. They have been raised before, reviewed thoroughly, and each time, the facts have not supported the claims.

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FPL is not a form of compensation. It is a time management tool used at every ALPA carrier, allowing pilots to step away from the line to perform essential union work. At Frontier, FPL hours are reviewed, processed under strict policy, and approved through the proper channels. Similarly, union dues are subject to layered oversight and transparent accounting procedures.

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If genuine concerns existed, they could have been submitted through the systems designed to handle them. That never happened.

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Instead, these claims have been repackaged as campaign talking points. The result is distraction, division, and distrust at a time when pilots are asking for unity and focus.

This moment requires more than politics. It requires truth, accountability, and respect for the volunteers doing the work every day on behalf of the pilot group.

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• John Howell campaign letter quote:

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"Whether we want to allow the continued abuse of expenses as in the past or seek a new direction of clarity and communication with you the members of the LEC 165."

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• "CJ" Weihing campaign letter quote:

"Efficiency: I’m not here to milk the Flight Pay Loss system, as some have done and continue to do, month after month."

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CONCLUSION

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These accusations are coming from the very people who’ve held office. If there were truth to them, they had every opportunity to act, and didn’t. No evidence. No action. Just a political tactic.

2 / Is experience in union leadership a bad thing?

Across aviation, experience matters. No one questions the value of seasoned pilots on the flight deck. The same logic applies to union leadership. Knowing how to navigate ALPA policy, how to negotiate, and how to manage the responsibilities that come with elected office is not something that should be dismissed or discredited.

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Lately, there has been a growing effort to paint experience as a negative, to suggest that past service is a reason for distrust. That narrative does not hold up. In reality, experienced volunteers have carried the weight of this pilot group through some of our most difficult challenges. They have built the foundation we rely on today.

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Criticism is healthy when it is constructive. But this is not about accountability. It is about politics, turning experience into a target to score points during an election.

If we want to move forward, we need leaders who know what they are doing, not just what they are against.

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• John Howell campaign letter quote:

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"And stop those who may be working to protect their own self interest."

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• "CJ" Weihing campaign letter quote:

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"I’ll be honest, I am newer to the ALPA environment compared to some others. But I see that as a strength, not a weakness."

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CONCLUSION​

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Experience and holding positions within the ALPA structure has never been the problem. Frontier pilots have served in some of ALPA’s most influential roles at the national level. These positions have brought national support, tools, and visibility back to our pilot group.

That should be something we strive for, not something to tear down for political reasons.

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Positions held by Frontier Pilots previous/current:

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• ALPA Vice President - Administration/Secretary

• Executive Vice President – Group B

• National SPSC Committee

• National Negotiations Committee

• PAC Steering Committee

3 / Do the candidates truly support all three bases in LEC 165?

It is easy to say “I support all three bases.” What matters is how that support shows up in practice. Over the last year, critical efforts in DFW and CVG have been met with silence. Attendance at key events, communication with local volunteers, and engagement with base-specific issues have been inconsistent at best, absent at worst.

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Supporting all three bases means more than just naming them in a campaign letter

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• John Howell campaign letter quote:

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"This LEC meeting was attended by the largest group of Frontier pilots in recent history."

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*Fact Check*  The meeting John is referring to was the interim election on September 9th, held with only 14 days’ notice, the minimum allowed by the ALPA policy manual, and conducted solely in Denver. Only those pilots who attended in person were able to vote.

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It did not have to be this way.

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The election could have included in-person voting in both CVG and DFW to ensure fair participation across all three bases. It also could have been scheduled just two months earlier, which would have made the remaining 240 days in the term eligible for an online vote. That would have allowed every pilot in LEC 165 the chance to cast a ballot.

The narrative that the Captain Representative would have been forced to step down early is false. He could have remained in place and mentored the interim representative during the transition. Similar to the process in this election, which is held in October even though the new term does not begin until March.

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• "CJ" Weihing campaign letter quote:

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"Accountability: My only agenda is representing the Cincinnati, Dallas and Denver pilots fairly and effectively. Every 165 pilot’s voice matters and I will respond to every pilot who reaches out."

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*Fact Check* "CJ" Weiging has been in office for over 17 months and has only attended one event in CVG and has never been present in DFW. No effort has been made to set meeting or events outside of Denver in 2025.

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CONCLUSION

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The interim election meeting should not be seen as a model of fair representation. It excluded the majority of pilots in LEC 165 by design. Holding it with minimal notice, in a single base, and without broader access undermined the very principles of transparency and inclusion that are being claimed.

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LEC 165, under its current representatives, is the only council that has not consistently held events in all of its bases. That is not support. That is neglect.

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If leadership claims to represent all three bases, their actions must reflect it.