Write a Letter to the Editor

One of the best ways to get the public engaged in our issues and to educate Congress about the concerns of their constituents is to write letters to the editor of your local paper. Below is a sample letter and then some tips if you’d like to write your own.

Sample Letter

Dear Editor,

Thank you for your interest in the state of U.S. aviation both domestically and globally. These are trying times for our place in the global aviation system due to attempts of foreign nations to circumvent our labor standards and our policies that are in place to maintain a safe and fair environment for the aviation industry to thrive.

Just in the last 10 years, these Gulf carriers have received over $42 billion in subsidies from their governments—these subsidies directly violate the Open Skies agreement and put thousands of U.S. airline jobs at risk. The Gulf carriers—Qatar Airways, Emirates Airline, and Etihad Airways—are receiving massive government subsidies to attempt to dominate the global aviation system and undermine the U.S.’s role in this global system.

These subsidies are creating an unfair playing field in global aviation, and these airlines have abhorrent labor standards. Flight Attendants are speaking out to demand that Gulf carriers play by the rules and respect labor standards we fought hard to achieve.

For every U.S. route that’s lost to a Gulf carrier, more than 800 U.S. jobs are lost, and they won’t stop there. The Gulf carriers are attempting to take over global aviation by having half of the world’s aircraft orders.

Their mission is to take over aviation world-wide with the support of their governments. If Gulf carriers are successful in their efforts to force U.S. carriers out of business, service to our smaller communities, movement of our U.S. troops, and good U.S. jobs are all in jeopardy.

Every U.S. citizen should sign our petition to the Departments of State and Transportation and call your member of Congress now!

Sincerely,

Your Name
City, State of Residence

To Write your Own Letter, Use These Tips:

• Reference a Recent Article or Development in the News: If possible, it is best to include a reference to recent article that appeared in the newspaper you've selected and then write your letter as a response, building on what was printed or pointing out how your viewpoint isn't included. This greatly increases the likelihood that your letter will be printed. In this case, include a mention of a recent story in the news about the partnership, and if you’re writing the letter electronically via the news outlet’s website, link to the article.
  
  
• Include Your Contact Information: Most media outlets will only print a letter to the editor after calling the author to verify his or her identity and address. The media outlet will not give out that information and will usually only print your name and city, should your letter be published.
  
  
• Be Clear and Concise: Keep your letters brief and to the point. For instance, newspaper editors often edit for length, so try to keep your letter to less than 200 words. The shorter it is, the more likely it will be printed.
  
  
• State Your Point Early: Be sure to state your main point in the subject line and in the first sentence of the letter.
  
  
• Keep to One Topic: Keep your letters focused on one subject.  Use AFA talking points as a basis for your message. Sample points to include and a sample letter are below.