The Allied Pilots Association (APA), certified collective
bargaining agent for the 11,500 pilots of American Airlines, termed
“unconscionable” American Airlines’ lawsuit
opposing enhanced crew-rest and other safety requirements recently
enacted by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). American
Airlines filed the lawsuit jointly with several other carriers.
“The National Transportation Safety Board has identified
as one of its ‘most wanted transportation safety
improvements’ the reduction of aviation accidents and
incidents caused by human fatigue,” said APA President
Captain Lloyd Hill. “American Airlines management’s
effort to block new crew-rest rules that are designed to reduce the
well-established safety risks associated with pilot fatigue is
nothing short of unconscionable. We cannot fathom their
rationale.
“Numerous scientific studies have compared the fatigue
induced by periods of prolonged wakefulness to the debilitating
effects of intoxication,” he said. “In the exacting
world of commercial aviation, we must do all we can to combat the
dangers posed by fatigue.”
Hill noted that APA has been a longtime proponent of updating
airline pilot flying, duty and rest limitations to combat pilot
fatigue and enhance safety. International flight and duty rules
pre-date the modern jet age, long before the advent of
ultra-long-haul flying such as American Airlines’
Chicago-Delhi service using extended-range Boeing 777s. APA,
American Airlines management and various other industry
stakeholders participated in the FAA-convened working group that
crafted the new rules the carriers are seeking to circumvent.
“The new FAA rules are based on a greatly improved
scientific understanding of the effects of fatigue on human
performance,” Hill said. “Although we would like to see
the FAA take a more aggressive stance on pilot fatigue, we consider
the new rules to be a step in the right direction.
“American Airlines management’s resistance to
common-sense measures designed to enhance the margin of safety is
yet another example of short-sighted decision-making. Cost-cutting
should never take precedence over safety,” he said.
Founded in 1963, the Allied Pilots Association—the largest
independent pilot union in the U.S.—is headquartered in Fort
Worth, Texas. APA represents the 11,500 pilots of American
Airlines, including 1,969 pilots on furlough. The furloughs began
shortly after the September 11, 2001 attacks. Also, several hundred
American Airlines pilots are on full-time military leave of absence
serving in the armed forces. American Airlines is the
nation’s second-largest passenger carrier and fifth-largest
cargo carrier.