American Airlines Pilots’ Delaying Tactics Barred

FT. WORTH —  A federal judge temporarily has barred American Airlines pilots from staging sickouts and other job actions that would further delay and cancel flights.

American’s lawyers complained that sick leave, equipment-caused delays and other allegedly illegal acts had skyrocketed since American’s contract with the Allied Pilots Assn. became eligible for renegotiation last Jan. 1.

U.S. District Judge John McBryde issued the temporary retraining order Wednesday night and scheduled a hearing for next Thursday to decide whether it would be made permanent.

Union officials declined comment until they studied the ruling. Previously they have denied charges of a deliberate work slowdown in response to stalled contract negotiations.

American’s complaint alleged pilot actions that are illegal under the Railway Labor Act, the federal law that governs airline labor contracts.

The airline accused the pilots of “capricious and excessive” reporting of alleged equipment problems, increased sick leave, slow taxiing and other actions.

American has accused the APA, which represents about 8,000 pilots, of staging a sickout to compel management to agree to pilots’ contract terms.

Airline officials said that pilot sick hours peaked at 28,082 for November, compared to 19,319 in November, 1989. On Nov. 27, 386 American Airlines pilots were out sick, tying the company record, officials said.

American said daily flight delays attributable to pilot actions have run as high as 215 on Dec. 19, compared to an average of 89 delays per day in 1989. Flight cancellations this month due to lack of pilots reached 194 on Wednesday, the day after Christmas and a popular flying day.

American said that since negotiations turned sour, the company has attributed to pilots 55 delays per 1,000 flights. In 1989, the average was 38.6 delays per 1,000 flights.