The pilots union at American Airlines has raised concerns about a significant increase in safety issues at the airline. According to the union, there have been fewer routine aircraft inspections and shorter test flights on planes returning from major maintenance work. Additionally, the union says it’s seen incidents where tools were left in wheel wells and items were left in the sterile area around planes parked at airport gates.
Dennis Tajer, a pilot and spokesman for the union, stated that union officials have brought their concerns to the attention of senior management at the airline. “Management’s initial response to our request was encouraging,” he said.
American Airlines, headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas, asserted that it has an industry-leading safety management system. An airline spokesperson said that they are in regular contact with regulators and unions to further enhance their strong safety record and continuously evolve their safety culture.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) declined to comment directly on the union’s allegations or whether they have increased oversight of American Airlines as a result. However, an FAA spokesperson stated that airlines are required to have systems in place to identify potential hazards before they become serious problems.
In an email to its members, the safety committee of the Allied Pilots Association said that they have been tracking a significant spike in safety and maintenance-related problems in their operation. The union claimed that American Airlines has increased the time between routine inspections on planes, ended overnight maintenance checks unless a plane requires special attention or scheduled maintenance, and now performs “abbreviated” test flights on planes returning to service after major maintenance checks or long-term storage.
The union urged its members to report any safety or maintenance problems, emphasizing that aviation accidents are often the result of a chain of events or a series of errors, and catching just one of those errors could prevent a tragedy.
The Associated Press contributed to this article.