pilot

Tag Archives for pilot.

American Airlines Will Start Giving Customer Upgrade Seats To Pilots Instead

by Gary Leff on August 23, 2023

Aug 23 2023

American Airlines pilots approved a new four year contract that increases pay by more 20% immediately and more than 45% during that the four years of the agreement. The deal includes many “quality of life” (work rule) concessions. 73% of pilots voting were in favor of the new deal. One of the items that pilots got in their new deal is first class deadheading – flying first class when not piloting an aircraft between segments that they’re working on a trip. (That’s different than commuting to and from their base if they live in a different city than where they’re assigned to start and end their trips.) This is broadly similar to a benefit that United pilots won three years ago. On the one hand, this promotes well-rested pilots. Larger seats are more comfortable and…

United Airlines Pilot Pulls Out Ax In “Bizarre” Attack At Denver Airport

by Gary Leff on August 18, 2023

Aug 18 2023

United Airlines pilot Kenneth Jones was arrested in a Denver Airport employee parking lot after a “bizarre ax attack” against the lot’s exit gate. He says he got tired of waiting for the arm to go up. The uniformed pilot is shown on video taking an axe out of his trunk and swinging the axe at the gate more than 24 times and finally got it up.

Southwest Airlines Pilot Threatens Comedian Who Asks Whether He’s Been Drinking

by Gary Leff on August 6, 2023

Aug 06 2023

A Southwest Airlines passenger – a professional comedian – confronted the pilot of his flight during boarding to ask whether the captain was drunk. That did not go over well, and the pilot’s reaction was caught on video.

American Airlines Pilot Who Refused To Wear A Mask In 2021 Is Suing For Racial Discrimination

by Gary Leff on August 5, 2023

Aug 05 2023

An American Airlines pilot, who identifies as Caucasian, received an indefinite suspension for violating the federal mask mandate in December 2021. He is suing for… racial discrimination.

American Airlines Captain Lays Out Inflight Etiquette, Demands Passengers Respect Each Other

by Gary Leff on July 30, 2023

Jul 30 2023

An American Airlines Boeing 737 captain lays out proper flight etiquette – and that it’s going to be enforced – before every flight. One passenger caught the soliloquy on video, titling it “Thank you for coming to his TED talk.”

Here’s the thing. This pilot is right in every single respect.

American Airlines Will Match The United Pilot Pay Deal – But Maybe Not Soon

by Gary Leff on July 24, 2023

Jul 24 2023

American Airlines CEO Robert Isom’s caveat that updating the contract could come quickly – or it might not – was clearly intentional. It won’t be a matter of just substituting in new, higher pay rates. This suggests they’re going to be negotiating and re-negotiating other language in the deal as well.

Congress Refuses To Make Airlines Re-Hire Vaccine Refusenik Pilots

by Gary Leff on July 23, 2023

Jul 23 2023

Last week the U.S. House of Representatives voted down an amendment to FAA Reauthorization that would have “require[d] airlines to reinstate pilots who were fired or forced to resign because of vaccine mandates.” Republicans generally favored the amendment, but not overwhelmingly, while all but one voting Democrat opposed it.

One Mile At A Time Is Wrong To Support The Airline Pilots Union Against JSX

by Gary Leff on July 7, 2023

Jul 07 2023

Everyone acknowledges what JSX does is legal from the DOT and FAA who allow it to even ALPA. ALPA argues they take advantage of a ‘loophole’ by using aircraft with no more than 30 seats, never ‘intended’ to support an operation that gives passengers the similar access to convenient terminals as private air travel offers to the wealthy. And One Mile at a Time is sympathetic. He acknowledges that JSX is safe, and the rules ALPA wants to impose are non-sensical, yet wishes “to be balanced.”

Delta Flight Cancelled When The Captain Was Arrested For Intoxication, Passengers Entitled To $666 Each

by Gary Leff on June 17, 2023

Jun 17 2023

An already-boarded Delta Air Lines flight from Edinburgh, Scotland to New York JFK was cancelled on Friday when the 61 year old captain was arrested on charges stemming from intoxication either with alcohol or drugs.

Southwest Airlines Pilot Climbed Through The Window After Passenger Locked Him Out Of Cockpit

by Gary Leff on May 26, 2023

May 26 2023

A Southwest Airlines pilot of a Boeing 737 bound for Sacramento got locked out of the cockpit prior to departure on Thursday – and had to climb back in through the window – after a passenger shut the door.

Thanks to the reinforced cockpit door, it was the quickest way in. A customer had boarded the plane and, needing to use the restroom, closed the door to the cockpit in order to access the aircraft’s lavatory. The hijinks caused an 8 minute delay.