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Angry Pilots Call in ‘Sick,’ American Airlines Forced to Cancel Hundreds of Flights

Sep. 19, 2012 1:00pm Becket Adams

Unhappy with recent developments in their labor contracts, American Airlines pilots are protesting by calling in “sick” and have forced the airline to cancel over 250 flights this week alone, CNN Money reports.

“The pilot’s union had new rules imposed on it by the bankruptcy court after 7,500 pilots last month overwhelmingly rejected the tentative deal that their union, the Allied Pilots Association, had reached with management,” according to the report.

“Members of other unions at American, representing flight attendants and ground workers, have ratified their own concession deals with the airline,” the report adds.

AA isn’t aware of any organized job action by the pilots, according to company spokesman Bruce Hicks. He did, however, admit that there has been a large increase in the number of pilots calling in “sick” and that there has been a suspicious uptick in the number of flight-cancelling maintenance reports being filed by flight crews.

“The airline normally flies about 1,700 flights a day. Statistics from FlightStats.com show American canceled 296 flights from Sunday through Tuesday and another 17 early Wednesday,” CNN Money notes.

“Hicks could not confirm those numbers, but said that airline has already canceled about 250 flights from Tuesday through this coming weekend,” the report adds.

Chairman of the union’s communications team Tom Hoban disputes the claim that there has been an unusually large increase in the number of pilots calling in “sick.”

“This isn’t being organized, supported or sanctioned by the union, period,” he said, adding that American has “declared war” on its pilots. “When you have the type of scrutiny we have right now, you’re going to dot your i’s and cross your t’s.”

The following message was posted to the union’s website by union president Keith Wilson, will do for now:

The pilots of American Airlines are angry. While AMR management continues paying lip service to needing a consensual agreement with us, their punitive approach of extracting far more value than they need is hardly conducive to reaching a consensual agreement.

American filed for bankruptcy in November, 2011, citing a need to restructure labor costs in order to compete with other airlines.

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Front page photo source courtesy the AP.

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Comments (46)

vortilon61
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 5:16pm
Unless, you know the whole story of what management at American Airlines has done over the last 10 years to it’s employees, you might not be so quick to run your mouth about unions ruining AA. Back in 2003, when most other airlines started to go into bankruptcy, AA was able to stay out because all the unions agreed to massive pay and benefit cuts – about 30% of the pay and benefits package worth. In some cases the cuts were deeper than what the employees at bankrupt airlines took. Most of those cuts are still in effect. Now in bankruptcy, AA could not resist the temptation to further gouge the employees. The only people ruining American Airlines, are the selfish, out of touch people running the company. Bottom line, treat the employees fairly, and they will make it all worth it by putting out a better product.

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- rdinsd
  Posted on September 19, 2012 at 5:28pm
  Fire all of them and hire others. Screw the unions; then we’ll see how “determined” they are to stick together. There are out-of-work pilots out there aching for jobs. They’d be happy to have a job at the AA wage. Of course, I’d be happy to see AA go completely under, but that’s just me.
  
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- TAXEVERYONE
  Posted on September 20, 2012 at 10:21am
  American has been going down hill for at least 20 years for many of the reasons you mention and the mismanagement of Robert Crandall.
  However the attendants and pilot unions also share much of the blame for their demise.
  American flight attendants and gate agents developed a reputation many years ago as the most surly in the industry.
  Only when the company and the unions finally cease to exist, will there be an opportunity for a new company to restart.
  
  Report this comment
- GlintoftheScythe
  Posted on September 20, 2012 at 3:45pm
  N, don’t fill in the blanks of this “story” with facts, perspective, and history. Don’t hold MSNBlazeC to a higher standard then they blast other media for not reaching.
  
  Report this comment
Baja
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 4:52pm
Average bra size of a senior airline stewardess?
44 long.
Most of them would rather stick you with a fork than serve you a coke.

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JACKTHETOAD
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 4:33pm
Angry turds.

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hi
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 2:14pm
Save money by getting rid of the flight attendants. I want the best and brightest pilots so pay them well!!!

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woodyee
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 2:13pm
It is a PRIVATE union. Let them settle as best they can (both the company and the union), and PRAY that Gaybama doesn’t decide to come to THEIR rescue prior to the Nov. election…

PRIVATE unions negotiate with their employers. PUBLIC unions do not (WE, taxpayers, are their employers). PUBLIC unions negotiate with other PUBLIC EMPLOYEES – politicians. PUBLIC unions are the bane of business and education.

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- BSdetector
  Posted on September 20, 2012 at 7:27am
  All unions are bad for their biz’s customers.
  It just so happens that with public unions, we are the employer AND the customer so we get double shafted.
  
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banjarmon
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 1:47pm
Drive to your destination, stop along the way to enjoy the flowers and the beauty of our great land. You’ll learn to appreciate God’s handy work!

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- RossPoldark
  Posted on September 19, 2012 at 2:18pm
  In a way, this might be a blessing in disguise. Considering all the jihadists rioting all over the world, less planes flying means less terrorist targets. I certainly would not be flying right now.
  
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vr enscoe
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 1:46pm
I remember the days when pilots had one of the top paying careers; stewerdesses were female in tailored smart looking uniforms & also made top pay. The airlines fot the cream of the crop employees because they weren’t dictated to by ACLU & other “fairness” groups. The waiting list to even get an interview was months long – 1950′s – 1970′s. You couldn’t be over weight, over 36 yrs. old as an entry age & had to retire at 55. In China the public transportation employees all look shapr & like ours used to look 40 yrs. ago. Now we have surly, overworked,, underpaid, victimology.

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- TORCH9
  Posted on September 19, 2012 at 2:03pm
  Great Summary! Thank you
  
  Report this comment
Gonzo
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 1:45pm
They’ve been cranky ever since AA took away their nap time in the cockpit.

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perry1980
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 1:43pm
Unions have been ruining American Companies for 50 years now

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NoLongerNonPlussed
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 1:38pm
Are we supposed to be surprised?…. A unionized AA crew treats Glenn Beck like a subhuman and we shake our heads at their ignorance. Now we learn that AA union members that we are supposed to respect and obey while in the air would treat us, the paying passengers, the company management and the stock holders of the publicly held company with the same disrespect and disdain by maliciously causing the cancellation of scheduled flights. I’m not surprised, I’m disgusted. I won’t be surprised when there is no longer an operating American Airlines that they can work for.

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- Chuck7884
  Posted on September 19, 2012 at 1:57pm
  The flight attendants are Unionized not the Pilots.Get it. blue flu is what they are doing not striking.That is why they are calling in sick and not walking a picket line,Pilots are considered white collar workers and the attendants are considered blue collar workers.pilots of these aircraft can walk off the job and get hired by either a competitor or one of the freight lines in a snap.thus they do not have to worry about job security.
  
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- NorCalBlazer
  Posted on September 19, 2012 at 2:42pm
  “The pilot’s union had new rules imposed on it by the bankruptcy court after 7,500 pilots last month overwhelmingly rejected the tentative deal that their union, the Allied Pilots Association, had reached with management,” according to the report.
  Uh, that explicitly states that the pilots are unionized and even names their union. I guess basic reading and comprehension skills are not taught in whatever union you were trained in, eh?
  
  Report this comment
Chuck7884
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 1:34pm
The article plainly stated the pilots are not unionized.Each pilot must negotiate for his or her pay.I can only guess that American Airlines said no to to many pilots and they all talked about their experience with each other and thus pulled a blue flu outage.they are usually hired on at different rates and assuming from working white collar They are not allowed to discuss what they are paid to one another..guess someone spilled the beans.

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- vortilon61
  Posted on September 19, 2012 at 4:57pm
  Hey Chuck, Just a heads up the AA Pilots do in fact have a union. It’s called the Allied Pilots Association or APA for short. It is a small independent union started at AA about 40 years ago. Not to be confused by the ALPA which is the biggest pilots union, found at most other airlines.
  
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hauschild
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 1:32pm
Pretty sad when pilots make less (combined packages) than a school teacher or flat foot in a major metropolitan area.

Yeah, I realize that pilots are probably receiving what the market will pay, but it’s a complete joke when you have the lowest IQ people from college actually in better financial shape at the time of retirement; not to mention they retire 10-15 years sooner.

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Eric_The_Red_State
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 1:31pm
Alcoholics are flying planes now?

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jackact
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 1:31pm
They wouldn’t be striking if their jets were fueled with oli and gasoline produced solely in the USA, would they?

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Tri-ox
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 1:31pm
Whiney, pissy unionists throwing tantrums – What’s new? Nothing is every enough – they are never satisfied, and they don’t care who they hurt or what they destroy with their never-ending demands for MORE, MORE, MORE money and benefits and LESS, LESS, LESS work and responsibility.

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00gabooga
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 1:28pm
If there was ever a company that DESERVED union trouble it’s American Airlines. I hope they shut each other down.

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overeducatedchristian
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 1:27pm
Seriously, can anyone tell the difference between a union and the mafia?

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- Dont-hate-on-me-2
  Posted on September 19, 2012 at 5:02pm
  Is their a difference?
  In name only.
  
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Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 1:25pm
So once again we see the devastation of the unions handiwork at large.

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elvisroy0000
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 1:24pm
Fire Them all hire new ones http://yahooroyschapel.blogspot.com/

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grayling646
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 1:19pm
I’m wondering how many people will say this is God’s way of punishing AA because of the way that male stewardess treated Glenn.

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BODYBAG
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 1:17pm
The Mob…er…Union Boss’s comments and the statement on the Union website
tell the whole story. Who? Us? We’re not doing anything. Dont know what you’re
talking about.

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Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 1:15pm
Maybe they are tired of snarky service from the flight attendents also. “Look, I ordered a Rum and Coke, I appreciate it when you place it on the control console, don’t slam it down. Now get the Co-pilot his double Scotch.”

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CatB
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 1:07pm
American Airlines ;-)

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OneTermPresident
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 1:07pm
Seen it before…

Won’t be long now and they’ll all be unemployed because of the unions and their demands.

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thibx
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 1:07pm
unions destroy every thing they touch. how about giving back all that union money to the people.

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