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(Bloomberg) – American Airlines Group Inc. The US pilots’ union warned members to remain vigilant amid a “significant increase” in safety and maintenance problems at the carrier.
The Allied Pilots Association cited “problematic trends” in a memo sent on April 13, including examples of hammer-like tools being left in the undercarriage wells and an increasing number of collisions between aircraft when they were towed. . The union, which represents about 15,000 pilots, requested its members to avoid haste while doing their work and not to be pressured into doing any unsafe work.
The American did not immediately comment. The carrier’s shares fell 1.3% in New York trading at 1:25 p.m. The stock had fallen 4.3% this year through April 12.
The union’s message underscores increased scrutiny on airline safety after a January incident in which a panel on an Alaska Airlines plane blew off mid-flight. In particular, United Airlines Holdings Inc. has drawn unwanted attention over a series of headline-grabbing accidents, including a wheel falling off a plane after takeoff and a plane skidding off an airport runway.
“Although United Airlines is currently under public and government scrutiny, it could easily be American Airlines,” the APA said in its memo.
The union recently spoke to the carrier’s senior management about being involved earlier in assessing safety risks and “the initial response to our request was encouraging,” said Dennis Tajer, a union spokesman. “That maintains a strong margin of American security.”
The union cited other problems, such as increased incidents of equipment being left in sterile areas, where aircraft are rammed into gates and faulty paperwork when damaged aircraft are relocated.
The APA warned members to keep an eye out for dangers “when operating on ramps and taxiways in congested airports with inexperienced controllers and ground personnel.”
The Federal Aviation Administration recently increased its oversight of United as part of a broader security review, leading to a delay in some activities, including postponing two new routes the airline had planned to launch this summer. The carrier is also conducting its own internal review.
Boeing Co. is also under intense FAA scrutiny of its manufacturing and quality practices following an incident involving Alaska Airlines’ nearly new 737 Max 9. The harsh spotlight has now extended to the 787 Dreamliner after an engineer at the plane maker accused the company of manufacturing issues. Shortcuts on aircraft to reduce production bottlenecks.
(Updated with American Air meeting in sixth paragraph)
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Published: April 15, 2024, 11:51 PM IST
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