Pilots in North Texas protest against working conditions, unrealistic schedules
FORT WORTH (CBSDFW.COM) — Ahead of the busy Labor Day travel weekend, pilots across the country – and in North Texas – are protesting over working conditions.
Nearly 300 American Airlines pilots stood in solidarity outside the company's headquarters Thursday morning, calling for change.
They say they're fed up with the same travel problems passengers have ran into this past summer.
"Fix it now, most importantly for our passengers," said John Owens, a captain for American Airlines. "The breaking point has occurred, and when it affects the people we work for, which is you guys, the passengers, that's when we can't accept it any longer."
The union that represents the pilots, the Allied Pilots Association, says American Airlines creates an unrealistic schedule, selling tickets for flights it ultimately can't provide.
"The system, the schedule, was made for the perfect day," said Ed Sicher, president of Allied Pilots Association. "If the weather's good, if the airplanes run, if nobody gets sick – it will be a perfect holiday. All it takes is one thing though, and the whole thing comes crumbling down."
Sicher says the ensuing delays and cancellations impact pilots too. When passengers get stranded, so do they.
"When there's a long line down that concourse and you're trying to get a flight rebooked, we're not standing in that line with you, but we're also in a line – waiting to find out, how do we put this back together," Owens said.
Contract negotiations between the Allied Pilots Association and American Airlines have been going on for more than three and half years.
The association says the changes they want will make flying better for everyone.
"If we get our pay, benefits, and work rules in line – if we can encourage the company to take upon itself the more responsible scheduling – there will be more reliable travel," said Sicher.
American Airlines has proactively cut thousands of flights from its schedule in the coming months, in the hopes of avoiding delays and cancellations.
The company's corporate communications office sent this statement in response to Thursday's protest:
"American's pilots participate in informational picketing periodically, which isn't out of the ordinary and will not have an impact on our operation. We've put forward an industry-leading proposal that would provide immediate and significant improvements in pay, benefits and quality of life provisions for our pilots. We continue to meet regularly with the APA and are committed to reaching an agreement."