American Airlines Pilots Protest for Better Schedules

By IAN MARGOL and ALEX CICCARONE/WPLG-TV

MIAMI – With summer around the corner, airlines have struggled to keep up with the demand and now American Airlines pilots are saying it’s time to fix the problem.

Hundreds of pilots lined up at Miami International Airport holding picket signs on Wednesday. They are asking for the airline to make serious changes before the summer travel rush causes even more delays and cancelations.

According to pilots protesting, one of the main issues is the way American Airlines handles rescheduling because of weather or other disruptions.

They say the current system causes pilots to be stretched thin, forcing them to hit their maximum allowed flying time sooner than intended, which, in turn, strands flights.

This causes other crews to be diverted to cover for them, oftentimes landing them in places they never expected to be.

“Once you pack your bags to go out the door you don’t know when you’re coming back to see your family again. That’s because the schedule is so unreliable,” Capt. Dennis Tajer said.

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