America Airlines Reaches Deal to Avoid Holiday Flight Cancellations
America Airlines Reaches Deal With Union to Avoid Holiday Flight Cancellations
What a fantastic concept for a union (ALPA) to actually allow a company (American Airlines) to transact their business after a technology glitch.
POLITICO that American Airlines can “maintain a full December schedule as planned” after striking a deal with the Allied Pilots Association today, according to the union.
A technical glitch let all of American Airline’s pilots block out vacation time around Christmas, raising the possibility of cancellations. The carrier and union disagreed over the number of flights left unassigned.
On Wednesday, a spokesman for American Airlines said the carrier is “paying pilots who pick up certain open trips 150 percent of their hourly rate — as much as we are allowed to pay them per the contract.”
But APA said that “management unilaterally created their solution” and filed a grievance.
“The APA leadership met with American Airlines senior management today to discuss APA’s grievance concerning restrictions on premium pay and trip trading for December flying,” the union told its members. “APA and management have reached an agreement in principle addressing our respective needs, and we have withdrawn our grievance.” The union said it would “provide additional details soon.”
“Earlier this week, American Airlines shared that a processing error resulted in some concern as to whether our flights over the December holidays would have adequate pilot staffing,” the carrier said in a statement. “We are pleased to report that together, American and the Allied Pilots Association have put that worry to rest to make sure our flights will operate as scheduled.”