American Airlines Pilot Union Voices Concerns Over Safety and Maintenance Issues

The pilot’s union representing American Airlines has voiced concerns over safety and maintenance issues that regularly occur at the airline.

USA Today shared details of a memo they received written by the Allied Pilots Association’s Safety Committee. This memo explained several safety issues they have witnessed.

It reads that United Airlines is currently under public and government scrutiny. Subsequently, the memo urges members to report problems and to resist being rushed or intimidated by others. APA President Ed Sicher also told the news outlet that union representatives have met with American’s management team to address their concerns.

“We secured management’s commitment to involve the union earlier in the safety risk assessment (SRA) process, and we are likewise seeking a commitment that APA will have a seat at the table for the entire quality assurance process,” the letter read.

These issues include tools left in aircraft wheel wells, collisions involving planes being towed on the ground, and pressure to return aircraft to line service to maintain on-time performance. American Airlines told USA Today in a statement that safety remains a top priority for the company.

“Safety at any airline is a shared mission and it’s especially true at American,” the statement said. “Our robust safety program is guided by our industry-leading safety management system. It includes a multitude of collaborative programs — and regular touchpoints — with the FAA and all our unions, including APA, to further bolster our strong safety record and enhance our ever-evolving safety culture”

The union, representing about 15,000 pilots, implored its members to avoid rushing while doing their jobs and not be pressured into doing anything unsafe. The message underscores the heightened scrutiny on airline safety following an incident in January in which a panel blew out of the side of an Alaska Airlines plane mid-flight.

United Airlines has garnered unwanted attention over a series of headline-grabbing mishaps, including maintenance issues, a wheel falling from a plane after takeoff, and an aircraft running off an airport runway. The airline has also recently asked its pilots to take unpaid leave.