The American Airlines pilot union is telling its members to delay flights if their crew meal isn’t properly loaded for them.
- Without “adequate sustenance” the union reminds pilots that they might consider themselves “fit..for duty.”
- And the airline has been saying that if their meal isn’t loaded and they want to be reimbursed, they should cap their purchase at $30 and make the purchase “within 90 minutes of the segment on which the crew meal was not boarded” even though this is not in their contract.
In order to smooth reimbursement, the union says “pilots will be forced to focus on securing a timely meal rather than preparing for the performance of their duties.” In other words, delay the flight and head into the terminal to pick up food – it “may also be advisable to secure a replacement meal before departure to avoid any issues with the Company-imposed time limit.”
American Airlines is positioning managers in airports to help address missing meals and dirty planes. This is framed as being part of the carrier’s premium pivot. However it’s just as likely so that pilots don’t mess with D0 exact on-time departures.
When the airline fails to board a meal for a pilot, the pilot is entitled not just to reimbursement but cash compensation in their paycheck.
Traditionally pilots have received the same meal as first class and in fact the contractual requirement for pilot meals helped speed their return for first class passengers as well during the pandemic.
Flights get delayed by weather and by mechanical issues all the time. But as Paddle Your Own Kanoo puts it, thanks to American’s frequent failures to properly cater their aircraft, “there’s another reason why your next flight on American Airlines could be delayed and it’s down to the fact that pilots might have to join the long lines at food concessions in the airport concourse if their contractually agreed crew meal hasn’t been loaded.”
I flew on five segments on American Airlines yesterday. I was wondering why the pilots were raiding the first-class snack baskets before they secured the flight deck door. When an American Airlines flight is delayed for more than three hours, if a pilot receives a $30 meal reimbursement, why do first-class passengers receive only a $12 voucher if they ask for it?
I don’t blame crews or their unions for this. Sounds like a (mis)management problem. To those of you who will inevitably blame the workers, shame on you. Be kind to your pilots, flight attendants, gate staff, ground crews, call center agents, etc. They’re real people, and they need to eat, every now and again, too, just like you.
Gary, You really are a shit stirrer and I truly believe you hate airline crews ..
If meals are part of the contract then meals or an alternative should be provided for. Really, at worst if pilots need to head into the terminal to grab a meal because catering can’t get them to the planes that’s something that shouldn’t take more than 15 minutes. You wouldn’t expect to be required to work all day without a meal. Well, a pretty crummy one at that. I think there’s no small number of pilots that just buy their own meal out of pocket and then the FAs take their meals.
@George N Romey — Ahh, so close, George. You almost got it, but then decided to vilify the flight attendants (“then the FAs take their meals”). One more time: It’s a management problem, not a crew problem (though, clearly, the crews are ‘paying the price’ for the mismanagement here). As passengers, we should want well-fed, happy, healthy, alert crews for our own safety and comfort.
@1990 – I’m afraid not, bud. Sure, this may be a bit of a hatchet piece by Gary but that doesn’t make the union or the pilots in the right. Pilots can eat what everyone else does. If they don’t like it they can bring Taco Bell in themselves. There’s lots of downtrodden groups in commercial aviation but pilots are pretty close to the absolute bottom of that list.
Just another reason to avoid AA at all cost.
@Christian — Oof. I suppose it depends on the airline, route, etc. Like, a US domestic, midday, east-coast, NY/BOS-FL, 3-4 hour, First class 737/a321 on Delta could be short-rib; an American CRJ or ERJ regional, 2-3 hour flight, think LGA-STL or MIA-BNA, might get one of them turkey sandwiches in First; and, well, then there’s the transcons, like United ‘Polaris’ old-757, EWR-SFO, or AA’s Flagship a321 (please get that XLR up and running soon…), JFK-SFO/LAX, 5-6 hours, might even do burger and fries, yum. Whereas, Economy on all those get nothing. Of all those, I’d say the pilots on the transcons ‘deserve’ a meal, but if they can get them something on the others, I say why not. I’d fear that Taco Bell is too risky… that ‘Fire’ sauce… phew, you ‘pay for it’ later, 9 times out of 10.
I tend to agree with the pilots. Sure, if it is only a two hour flight it might be a bit of an over reaction but if pilots know to expect a meal at a given time they probably plan their other meals to fit this schedule. In other words, they would not eat at Taco Bell before boarding the flight. AA needs to live up to their promises with all employees. It’s quite basic.
lol.. The imAAge of AA pilots eAAting crAAppy AAmerican fAAst food in the cockpit of a crAAppy AAirline made my day !
@David P — Well said, sir. I hope we can all agree that generally, whether it’s the pilots, flight attendants, or passengers, no one should be loading up on Taco Bell before any flight. It’s just not worth the risk. Probably should incorporate that advice into the safety videos at this point. Like, “for your comfort and safety and for that of those around you, please do not down three bean burritos and a Mexican pizza within 12 hours of flight time…”
If you’re craving a thoughtful and elegant gastronomic experience in the sky, please consider Delta.
The contract says to provide a meal, then provide that meal. I remember something about the meals provided to the captain and the first officer have to be different so that a meal causing a person to get sick is not provided to both pilots. Both should be focused on flying the airplane, not worrying about if the contract has been fulfilled. I could see a backup of shelf stable food that would not be considered a meal.
@Matt — You always deliver, sir. Thank you for your service. Keep Climbing!
First class meals. First class seats. Pretty soon the whole front of the plane will be only employees. Then the airline will wonder where all the high paying customers went and the rest of the plane will be filled with basic economy passengers.
100% siding with the pilots here.
What a crAAppy airline. Hope it goes bankrupt sooner rather than later.
What is the clump of brown stuff thingy????
Reminds me of the teratoma thing THE Ohio State University has running up & down their sidelines
Don’t Eat The Fish.
Oh, that’s right. I had the Lasagna.
@jns I think your right about the different meals thing. If I recall, it became standard on airlines after a documentary in the 80s showed many people on the same flight getting food poisoning. What was it called? … Oh yeah, Airplane.
@kevin rivera – not at all! and here’s i’m just highlighting the result of AA’s operational disregard for inflight amenities, and quoting the union, what’s your beef?
A $12 voucher is all I received in December 2023, when my flight was cancelled in Charlotte NC.
All crew deserve a decent meal. A $30 voucher would get you a bottle of water and a bag of chips at an airport. Not enough in my estimate. Airlines, do your job! Look after your crew! Greed, greed, greed!
The pilots union is spot on here. They are simply ensuring that pilots are adequately fed. It’s a safety item. You don’t want pilots with low blood sugar making crucial decisions at the end of a long duty day.The potential for a seemingly minor item creating a disaster is real.
Not that dissimilar from pilots insisting that the aircraft has enough fuel for the flight.
To the “what about me folks on here” are you going to potentially be landing the airplane in heavy rain and turbulence, perhaps dealing with some minor mechanical glitches after a long day? Happens all the time to pilots, I want them well fed.
Pretty simple issue. The company and union agreed on a contractual method of making sure the crews are fed properly without interfering with the operation. Miss a contractual meal and it gets reimbursed. AA management later decides to add in a time and cost restriction which was not agreed to and severely limits the application of what was agreed. 90 minutes and 30 dollars arbitrarily assigned. In order to comply, the pilots need to now go find the one place that can sell them a sub $30 meal in an airport in a 90 min window. What did AA management think would happen?
The jet needs fuel.
The crew needs fuel.
Parking brake is set until everything is safe and ready to go.
End of story.
Is the 70% drop in airline travel between Canada and the US newsworthy, Gary?
Strange because the pilots rarely eat those meals
I was on a flight where a pilot told gate agent who is telling first class passengers they can’t eat because we are eating so there was ton of debate I spoke up and said take my meal I don’t want a delay. It was first flight of day how hard is it to eat at hotel before showing up at work. Don’t tell me they have to eat on plane.
While this might happen from time to time just step back and say pilots upgraded to first over passengers – the pilots don’t actually care about the paying client.
@Christian @Stephen — That was an incredible exchange, you two. And here I thought that the options were ‘steak or fish.’ Thank goodness Dr. Rumack had the lasagna.
I’m inclined to side with the pilots here. Yes, there are situations where pilots could get their own food (most jobs don’t pay for that) or make do until their next stop. The two valid concerns are:
1) Pilots are missing out on as many meals as they are because the airline is under catering the flights. That hurts more than just the pilots
2) For any union, it’s important to enforce “it’s in the contract” with the company. Creating a culture where the company can agree to terms with the union, then treat them as optional ’cause… excuses… undermines the union’s ability to look out for its members in general.
If AA wanted the flexibility to periodically miss pilot catering, they shouldn’t have agreed to it in the contract terms they signed.
what? How are they supposed to get a meal within 90 minutes if they won’t even know the meal is not there until they get on the plane the first place this is like the dumbest thing ever why is everyone so stupid
Does anyone proof read these articles? This the second article from this site that I have read today that has an error.
Well, this isn’t an issue for AA flight attendants as APFA stupidly gives up our crew meals every contract in exchange for supposedly higher per diem rates, which NEVER amount to anywhere near the cost of food. APFA’s per diem rates have always been and still are almost identical to that of United and Delta, both of whom whose flight attendants get first class crew meals just like the pilots. For APFA’s claims to make sense, we would have to get the same per diem as Delta, PLUS the amount a meal costs since Delta FAs get crew meals and per diem as we do. How’s that for a screw job? And the AA FAs fall for it every time. Nothing will ever change unless or until we get a real union.
All the people complaining are failing to remember that pilots are humans, too. We need food and other basic necessities to function.
You wouldn’t drive a road trip on an empty stomach, why should your pilots fly thousands of miles as such?
never focusing on the bigger picture….
Most of this problem comes from station managers. They are bonused for on time performance and if skipping a step like crew meals speeds things up, they do it. When a crew meal is scheduled (pilots and flight attendants), theres a reason. You wouldn’t go without fuel and maintenance why leave without provisioning.
Without “adequate sustenance” the union reminds pilots that they might consider themselves “fit..for duty.”
This sentence makes zero sense to me.
@InquiringMindly – the ‘70% drop in air travel between Canada and the US’ is fake news.
Unless something changed at SWA, there were NEVER any crew meals boarded. 10 hour days, 9 takeoffs and landings (without leaving Texas), 10 minute turns and numerous bags of “LUV Bites.” I know it’s hard to believe but on domestic trips it can be done, especially on domestic trips. Oh and fresh popcorn at DAL, HOU and LAS maintenance break room and the Green Chili Chicken Stew at ABQ was always well received.
I have no problem with a flight being delayed over meals. If these delays also ensure that passenger meals gets loaded even better.
@Gary curious what proof you have that the 70% drop in booking from Canada to the US is “fake news?” And here I thought you were balanced and objective.
So let me check here.
They get a first class seat to be “rested”
They get a meal for sustenance.
All when majority of flights are under 4 hours.
Crock of crap
@Parker – I have a post queued on this.
Sounds like Gary is bringing this attention to better help AA employees. Cater the plane for the crews too already!
Pilots also want someone to tuck them in and read them a bedtime story. Entitled group of overpaid computer drivers.
@greg myers – Are you aware that pilots typically fly more than one flight in a day and can be scheduled for up to nine hours flight time and 16 hours of duty for domestic flights? Delays can cause both to go longer.
Whip Lash,
Are you really that unintelligent, or do you just try to crack [really bad] jokes to get laughs that won’t be coming?
I was very late getting to the airport. The ticket counter said that I would probably miss the flight. I ran to the gate to find it empty. The gate attendant said the plane was loaded and about to push back, but that she would see if there was any way I could get on. While I was waiting by the locked door, two more men, carrying McDonald’s bags, came up wanting to get on the flight too. I told them we probably weren’t going to make it. One of the men said, ‘We will get on the plane. We are the pilots!”
@Adella
Stop with the hyperbole. I live near the most expensive airport in the country. 30 bucks is enough to get a good meal in 99% of the restaurants in any airport , especially for 1 person.
I’m saving that 1% for the off chance there’s a fine dining restaurant in an airport.
Yeah Gary, Pilots aren’t robots – they need to eat, just like you do. And due to the way that flights are scheduled, as well as fitting everything together after mistakes happen, sometimes they have to fly for more than 12 hours at a time with no breaks to eat or get food.
That’s what the meals are for. And if they aren’t there, after 12 hours, your pilots still need to eat.
Would you rather let your pilot fly safely, or crash and die due to pilot error? Instead of sounding like a fat, miserable and entitled American that wants everything now, why don’t you ask yourself that question the next time you see a pilot needing a meal.
Oh, and one more thing – pilots aren’t Customer Service workers, so quit acting like you’re at a McDonalds.