Airline union spokesman raises concerns over ‘pilot-pushing'

CHARLOTTE — American Airlines planes fly out of Charlotte 664 times a day on average, and leaders for the pilots' union are raising concerns to Channel 9.

They said they're facing pressure in the cockpit to speed things up.

A union leader flew into Charlotte to tell Eyewitness News anchor Allison Latos why he thinks that could put passengers at risk.

Capt. Dennis Tajer has been flying for American Airlines for 24 years, and he is the spokesman for the union of 15,000 American Airlines pilots.

The union is raising alarms about American Airline's speed-up program, which is intended to reduce delays. 
 
Pilots have to agree to a flight plan before pilots can take off.

That plan outlines the path the plane will take, and the speed it will fly.

Pilots are being asked to accept plans to fly faster than what pilots consider safe, even on routes with turbulence or severe weather, Tajer said.
 
"Say there was a highway loaded with potholes," Tajer said. "If you were to drive across it at 80 mph, or whatever the speed limit, that's probably not very prudent. Similarly, in the aircraft, for turbulence, we have air speeds the manufacturer guides to."
 
He said those flight plans aim to keep planes on time and pilots within work time limits, but Tajer believes that could put passenger safety at risk.
 
The rush, or hurry-up mode, could lead to errors.
 
The union said pilots feel pressured by the airline to the tune of "pilot pushing," and pilots are now pushing back, refusing to take off until they receive flight plans they're comfortable with.
 
Latos took their concerns to American Airlines spokeswoman Katie Cody.
 
"Of course, we're always looking for more efficient routes, but that does not mean we would ever make anything unsafe, or push an aircraft past the limits its able to go," Cody said. "If they don't feel comfortable with something, then they don't go, and that's the bottom line."
 
Cody also said that passengers are safe, and that that is the airline's top priority.
 
Passengers call the pilots' claims worrisome.
 
"They have a huge responsibility, because there's millions of people, millions of lives at stake," passenger Kion Scott said.

Tajer said pilots hope speaking out sends a clear message to American Airlines.
 
"Stop it," Tajer said. "Stay out of our flight decks. Let us do our job. Let us protect our passengers, like we do every day."
American Airlines blames weather for a lot of summer delays.
 
The Department of Transportation said that in July, American Airlines placed among the top three airlines with the lowest on-time arrivals, sitting at 70.7 percent.

When it comes to flight arrivals at Charlotte-Douglas, 80 percent of United Airlines flights arrived on time.

Delta Air Lines came in second at 79 percent, followed by American Airlines at 78 percent.

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