AA Works Out Deal with Pilots on Holiday Schedules

If the American Airlines flight schedule debacle had you googling Amtrak as an alternate holiday travel plan, fear not. The airline has worked out an agreement with its aviators.

American has reportedly agreed to pay double time to some pilots who pick up the holiday slots, according to NPR.

The resolution comes just days after the Allied Pilots Association—the union representing American’s pilots—announced that a scheduling glitch gave too many employees time off during the holiday season, spurring concerns that the airline would have to cancel flights during its busiest time of year.

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Captain Dennis Tajer, a spokesperson for the APA, told NPR that many of his fellow pilots "went to their sons, daughters, husbands and wives and said, 'Guess what? I'm off for Christmas! First time in 10 years!' "

But it turned out to be too good to be true.

When crunching the numbers, more than 15,000 flights would have been left without a pilot, first officer or both during the two-week period from Dec. 17 through Dec. 31.

After the glitch was reported, American Airlines publicly announced it would pay pilots 150 percent of their regular salaries if they agreed to work the affected shifts, but the APA then filed a grievance with the airline over “restrictions on premium pay and trip trading for December flying.”

After a meeting on Friday, however, the union announced, “APA and management have reached an agreement in principle addressing our respective needs, and we have withdrawn our grievance.”

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Although official details haven’t been announced, an unnamed source has said pilots agreeing to America’s initial offer of 150 percent would automatically be bumped into the 200 percent pay category, reports Forbes.

The pilot union also noted, “With this agreement in principle, we anticipate that American Airlines will be able to maintain a full December schedule as planned for its passengers.”

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