American Airlines’ pilots union has reported a “significant spike” in safety issues, raising red flags over fewer routine aircraft inspections and shorter test flights on planes following major maintenance work.
The Allied Pilots Association cited a slew of “problematic trends” in an email to members Saturday, noting a “significant spike in safety- and maintenance-related problems.”
It highlighted incidents in which tools were left in wheel wells and items were left in the sterile area around planes parked at airport gates.
The airline has increased the time between routine inspections and ended overnight maintenance checks unless a plane is written up for special attention, the union noted.
It also said American now does “abbreviated” test flights on planes returning after major maintenance or long-term storage.
“We all understand that aviation accidents are the result of a chain of events — often a series of errors — and catching just one of those errors could prevent a tragedy,” the union said in the email.
The concerns were raised with the company — “and management’s initial response to our request was encouraging,” said union spokesman Dennis Tajer, a pilot.
“We fully intend to do everything we can to assure that American maintains strong margins of safety,” he added.
In a statement to Bloomberg, American noted it has a “robust safety program” that includes collaborative programs with the FAA and all of their unions to ensure safety for flyers.
The outlet also reported the union’s complaints of equipment being left in sterile areas where planes pull into gates and faulty paperwork documenting when damaged aircraft are ferried to another location.
APA also warned members to be cautious of hazards “while operating on the ramps and taxiways in congested airports staffed with inexperienced controllers and ground personnel.”
The Federal Aviation Administration recently upped its oversight over United Airlines as part of a broad safety review after a series of recent safety incidents.
With Post wires
