American Airlines has denied claims it is putting the safety of its crew and passengers at risk by manipulating flight plans.
The Allied Pilots Association says pilots for American Airlines have accused the airline’s management of risking safety with last-minute changes designed to keep operations running on time during the peak travel period.
"These last-minute manipulations are used to make a flight appear legal when in reality it’s not or is, at best, on the ragged edge," said APA president Dan Carey in a letter sent to the airline’s pilots.
He said pilots are being told to increase airspeeds nearing aircraft limitations, even in areas with forecast or known turbulence, cut taxi times using paths and speeds not normally considered ‘rational’, and use uncommon flight routing.
"This erosion of the safety margin cannot be tolerated. Pilot pushing leads to ‘rush to comply’ behavior, and it must stop," he wrote.
Carey said American Airlines’ operations are ‘clearly over-scheduled’ and management is now resorting to improvisation.
"Don’t let management’s schedule-planning mistakes become your next crisis," he warned.
But a statement from American Airlines said: "Safety and regulatory compliance are always the first and foremost consideration in every decision and in every facet of our company – and we are fortunate that our pilots are the best in the business.
"Our integration and associated changes are complex and we remain committed to working together with all employee groups to ensure that this ongoing process is thoughtful, smooth and orderly."
