APA: 'Pilots responsible for assets worth $100 million or more and hundreds of lives every day they're on the job'

The Allied Pilots Association (APA), collective bargaining agent for the 13,500 pilots of American Airlines, released the following statement in response to an article originally posted to the CBS Market Watch Web Site: 
 
"On behalf of the pilots who fly for American Airlines, the world's largest passenger carrier, I would like to register my strong objection at finding 'Pilots for major airlines' included in the piece by Chris Pummer entitled 'The 10 most overpaid jobs in the U.S.' posted to the CBS Market Watch Web Site earlier this month," said Captain John E. Darrah (below, right), APA President.

"Airline pilots for major carriers must undergo years of specialized training and experience before assuming responsibility for a corporate asset worth $100 million or more and hundreds of lives every day we're on the job--a profession where we undergo annual proficiency checks, rigorous recurrent training, biannual medical exams, psychological screening and random drug testing, and where any number of relatively minor health ailments can abruptly end our career," said Darrah.

"Many of our pilots are initially trained in the military in service to our country, and begin their airline careers at the age of 30 or older. In fact, we have more than 500 pilots currently on active military duty, with many in harm's way in the Middle East. And speaking of harm's way, each time our pilots go to work, they do so with the awareness that a number of their fellow crewmembers were savagely murdered by terrorists just two short years ago. As a consequence of September 11, 2001, increasing numbers of our pilots are undergoing training as Federal Flight Deck Officers to carry firearms and serve as the vital last line of defense against a terrorist attack--yet another example of the life-and-death responsibilities that our pilots bear.

"The average age of an American Airlines new-hire pilot is around 30 years old, and the typical annual starting salary for pilots with major airlines is around $25,000. There are few professions that require such extensive training and experience at the outset that provide such a low starting salary. The well-compensated airline pilots that Mr. Pummer references are senior Captains with 25-plus years of experience, and they're flying the largest aircraft, with the biggest passenger loads, over the longest distances in commercial aviation.

"While I agree that the work our skilled mechanics perform is vitally important, it's the pilots who bring the ship back safely to earth when something goes wrong. It's not 'automation' or 'technology' that saves hundreds of lives when an aircraft suffers structural failure or the malfunction of a critical component--it's the pilots. How much value do you place on that skill level?

"In just the last few weeks, we have had American Airlines pilots cope with a variety of emergency situations, such as safely landing an aircraft with the nose gear stuck in the 'up' position and, on three occasions, safely landing aircraft that have sustained crippling damage to the engines and airframe from striking large flocks of migratory birds," he said.

"There are numerous other instances where pilots have successfully averted disaster over the years. Consider the 291 passengers aboard an AirTransat A330-200 in the Azores on August 24, 2001 after both engines lost power at cruise altitude due to a leak in the fuel system. The pilots were able to coax the huge jet to glide without power for 20 minutes for about 115 miles over the ocean and land on a military airfield runway, averting a mid-ocean ditching. Did the passengers who gratefully deplaned that day think their pilots were overpaid? I am betting the answer is a resounding 'No!'"

Note: Since the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, American Airlines has furloughed more than 2,000 pilots, with additional furloughs scheduled in the coming months. The contract American Airlines' pilots voted to approve earlier this year contained across-the-board pay cuts of 23 percent. In many instances, pilots have experienced actual pay reductions of up to 40 percent because they have been transferred from Captain to First Officer due to the airline's reduction in operations.

FMI: www.alliedpilots.org