The Allied Pilots Association (APA) published an open letter to the new American Airlines Group CEO in several newspapers Wednesday on behalf of the 14,000 American Airlines pilots the organization represents.
The APA wrote the letter to Robert Isom, who assumed the role of CEO of American Airlines Group in March 2022, to call attention to the issues they argue are causing poor operational performance for the airline group, according to the letter posted on the APA’s Twitter account.
This ad also appears in today’s editions of the Arizona Republic, Boston Globe, Charlotte Observer, Los Angeles Times, and Miami Herald. If you’re in one of those markets, take a picture of the ad and post it in the comments.
— Allied Pilots (@AlliedPilots) May 4, 2022
Isom served as President of American Airlines from 2016 until he became CEO, giving him meaningful input into “the airline’s commercial and operations activities,” according to American Airlines. The APA argued his role as president gave Isom a “significant voice in decision-making” that led to the airline being “plagued by delays, cancellations, and lost baggage.”
“What do you plan to do differently to remedy this chronic underperformance?” the APA asked. “Inclement weather disrupts every airline’s flight schedule, but it invariably takes longer for American Airlines to recover. Why is that?”
The union’s focus wasn’t strictly on delays and baggage issues. The letter addressed the airline group’s need to hire competent pilots in the coming years but asserted American Airlines group’s compensation packages for pilots fell below industry standards. (RELATED: Airline CEOs Demand End To Biden’s Mask Mandate)
“Many aspects of our pilots’ current contract — including total compensation, disability benefits, and scheduling provisions — are inferior to what pilots at other carriers enjoy,” the letter stated. “We think these disparities put American Airlines at a disadvantage in the competition for the next generation of aviators.”
Chicago Tribune 5/4/22 pic.twitter.com/sAh19KFocx
— Jenifwa (@Jenifwa) May 4, 2022
This letter was posted in Wednesday’s edition of the Arizona Republic, Boston Globe, Charlotte Observer, Dallas Morning News, Los Angeles Times, and Miami Herald, the APA tweeted.
The APA filed an Apr. 14 lawsuit against American Airlines group after the group decided to eliminate the practice of using “experienced Check Airmen” during the pilot training program, according to the APA’s press release.
American Airlines Group and the Allied Pilots Association have not returned the Daily Callers’ request for comment.
UPDATE:
Allied Pilots Association communications chairman Cpt Dennis Tajer told the Daily Caller that American Airlines has not reached out to the union, nor does he expect them to. He said the airlines’ affinity for ignoring their criticisms is one of the major issues with the group.
“When you have pilots picketing, you have a problem. We are out there yelling from the rooftops, ‘You have a problem,'” said Tajer. “They are failing in the basic tenants of duty of care, and that has nothing to do with a union and management. It has to do with a corporation’s responsibility to its employees. When people hear stories of any company where [employees] aren’t being cared for, they don’t want to interview there.”
“The hiring crisis at American’s regional airlines is in large part created because the destination of becoming an American mainline pilot is no longer a brass ring. It’s more of a plastic ring due to our contract and quality of work-life,” he added.
