An American Airlines pilots union is alerting its members to safety concerns aboard the airline’s planes as it continues to see what it calls a “significant spike” in “problematic trends.”
The Allied Pilots Union (APA) said it has received reports of an increasing number of collisions between towed or towed aircraft, tools left in wheel wells and the removal of nightly maintenance checks, between other problems.
The memo was published on the union’s website on April 13.
In a statement, American Airlines said: “Safety at any airline is a shared mission and that is especially true at American. Our robust safety program is guided by our industry-leading safety management system.
“This includes a host of collaborative programs – and regular touchpoints – with the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) and all of our unions, including the APA, to further strengthen our strong safety record and improve our culture constantly evolving security framework.
The union urged its members to stay focused on safety instead of rushing to get the job done.
“Don’t be forced to do something that doesn’t pass the smell test,” the union memo continues. “Just because it’s legal doesn’t mean it’s safe.”
In a separate statement, APA President Ed Sicher said he met with the airline’s senior management to discuss “operational risks” identified by the group.
“The APA is firmly focused on finding solutions – which will require collaboration between the union and management – and management’s initial response to our concerns has been encouraging,” the statement said.
The union has 15,000 members and is the approved bargaining agent for the airline’s pilots.
The group said that while United Airlines was in the spotlight over concerns about its safety standards, American Airlines could easily be next.
Last month, United experienced eight safety problems in two weeks, including an engine fire sparked by plastic packaging and a tire falling off a plane after takeoff.
The airline industry has been plagued by safety concerns after a door jam was ejected from a Boeing 737 Max 9 during an Alaska Airlines flight in January.
The National Transportation Board opened an investigation into the incident and the Federal Aviation Administration increased security measures, particularly regarding Boeing planes.
