Orlando Airport Protesters: What You Need To Know

Orlando International Airport has been the site of several protests in recent years. In 2015, a SeaWorld protester dressed as an orca was arrested for trespassing after holding a sit-in on a luggage carousel. In 2019, FAA workers protested the government shutdown at the airport, and in 2022, pilots across the country, including Orlando, protested their working conditions ahead of a busy holiday travel weekend.

Pilots protest work conditions

Pilots at major U.S. travel hubs protested ahead of a busy holiday travel weekend in 2022, demanding better pay and working conditions. The protests took place at more than a dozen airports across the country, including Orlando International Airport, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, and Dallas Love Field.

Pilots have been working longer days and shorter nights, picking up and working record amounts of overtime, and flying to maximums, all while facing stagnant wages. This has led to an epidemic of fatigue, causing safety concerns and thousands of flight cancellations and delays over the summer.

The protests are directed at outdated contracts and grueling schedules. Pilots are working from old contracts, with negotiations indefinitely suspended during COVID. For example, Delta pilots have been working under contracts and pay rates that have not been updated in six years, and they have not received a pay raise since 2016.

Pilots are calling for changes to flight schedules, improvements to retirement benefits and job protections, and pay raises. They want to be recognized and acknowledged by airline management and be provided with great contracts. As Captain Javier Ramos, one of the protesting pilots, stated, "if airlines want the best and brightest people behind the wheel, they have to give them great contracts."

FAA workers protest government shutdown

On January 16, 2019, furloughed FAA employees protested at Orlando International Airport for the third time. They were determined to put a face on the government shutdown. These employees were the first thing people saw as they drove up to side A to drop off travellers. FAA employees, who would usually be inspecting planes or ensuring pilots are certified to fly, were instead carrying signs. They were encouraging people to call their congressional representative to end the shutdown.

The partial government shutdown was in its 35th day, and the union representing aviation safety inspectors and technicians at the Federal Aviation Administration and the American Federation of Government Employees held a protest to call for an end to the shutdown.

On September 1, 2022, pilots at Orlando International Airport, alongside pilots across the country, protested ahead of a busy holiday travel weekend. Pilots said that staffing shortages had led to strenuous schedules and fatigue, causing thousands of flight cancellations and delays over the summer.

PETA protests SeaWorld

There have been several protests at Orlando International Airport in recent years, including pilots protesting work conditions, FAA workers protesting the government shutdown, and PETA protesting SeaWorld.

On December 23, 2015, a PETA protester dressed as an orca was arrested at Orlando International Airport. Bryan Wilson was charged with misdemeanor trespassing after holding a sit-in in the middle of a luggage carousel, causing the carousel to be shut down. Wilson and another protester held signs saying, "SeaWorld: Orcas Deserve Better" and "SeaWorld Hurts Orcas." Wilson spent a night in jail and was released the following day. He stated that any discomfort he faced was nothing compared to what orcas experience in captivity.

In a statement to WFTV, PETA's Executive Vice President, Tracy Reiman, said, "PETA's protester may have to spend a night in a jail cell, but that's nothing compared to the lifelong imprisonment of orcas at SeaWorld, who are without freedom, family, or anything else that's natural and important to them. Nobody with a heart should ever buy a ticket to SeaWorld, not during the holidays or any other time of the year."

PETA's protest specifically mentioned Unna, a 20-year-old killer whale born at SeaWorld Orlando, who had died at SeaWorld San Antonio the previous Monday.

Protests ahead of a busy travel weekend

Pilots at Orlando International Airport are planning to protest ahead of a busy holiday travel weekend. The protests are part of a nationwide demonstration calling for changes in working conditions. Pilots claim that staffing shortages have led to strenuous schedules and fatigue, causing thousands of flight cancellations and delays over the summer.

Impact on passengers

Pilots have assured that flights will not be affected by the demonstrations as all protests are taking place on their days off. However, passengers are advised to expect potential disruptions and delays, especially with the expected increase in travel during the holiday season.

Reasons for the protest

The pilots' union has expressed concerns about an epidemic of fatigue among pilots, particularly those flying for Southwest Airlines. They attribute this to poor scheduling practices and strenuous work conditions, which they believe raise safety concerns. Pilots are seeking improved contracts and want airlines to acknowledge their contributions and negotiate better collective bargaining agreements.

Previous protests at Orlando International Airport

This is not the first time protests have taken place at Orlando International Airport. In 2019, FAA workers protested the government shutdown, and in 2015, a SeaWorld protester dressed as an orca was arrested for holding a sit-in on a luggage carousel.

Orlando police use tear gas to disperse protesters

Orlando police used tear gas to disperse protesters on Interstate 4 following a demonstration over the killing of George Floyd. Protesters had blocked traffic on I-4 between Ivanhoe Boulevard and Amelia Avenue. The incident occurred after what had been a mostly peaceful protest.

According to the Orlando Police Department, officers were forced to take action after the situation turned violent. Demonstrators were throwing rocks, bottles, and construction equipment at the police. The police tweeted:

> "Unfortunately, because demonstrators are throwing rocks, bottles and construction equipment, police had to deploy tear gas."

The crowd dispersed within minutes of the tear gas being deployed, and the interstate was reopened around 9:30 pm. It is unclear whether any arrests were made during the demonstration.

This was not the only instance of the Orlando Police using tear gas to disperse protesters. On another occasion, nearly 50 minutes after the city's 10 pm curfew, tear gas was used after protesters threw rocks and bottles at officers.

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