Allied Pilots Association

Inquiries and Requests


The APA Communications Department responds to media inquiries and requests for background information and interviews.


phone 817-302-2272
email APA Email Address

WHAT'S HAPPENING

APA Public Statements

What a Government Shutdown Means for Our Industry

What a Government Shutdown Means for Our Industry If a government shutdown occurs, our nation’s 13,000 air traffic controllers represented by the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, and 50,000 Transportation Security Officers represented by the American Federation of Government Employees, will be working without pay beginning at midnight on Saturday. Please be mindful of the significant stress this situation will create for these workers and their families. If we find ourselves in the midst of a government shutdown and you have an opportunity to share a kind word of encouragement and support with them, we encourage you to do so. We must also stand firm in our commitment to maintaining a safe operation in the event of a shutdown. Our national aviation system is already under pressure due to overly aggressive airline scheduling, inadequate air traffic control staffing levels, and an influx of less-experienced employees. Never allow yourself to be rushed in the performance of your duties. As professional pilots, we are the guardians of safety. Thank you for your diligent efforts and for your consideration of our union brothers and sisters.

American Airlines Pilots Approve New Contract

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Capt. Dennis Tajer, 847-902-8481/Gregg Overman, 817-302-2250 American Airlines Pilots Approve New Contract New Contract Secures More Than $9.6 Billion in Additional Value Versus Prior Agreement FORT WORTH, Texas (Aug. 21, 2023) – The Allied Pilots Association (APA), representing the 15,000 pilots of American Airlines, announced that its members have voted to ratify a tentative agreement that the union and airline management reached on Aug. 1. The pilots approved the new agreement by a margin of 72.7% in favor, with more than 95% of eligible pilots participating in the ratification vote. Voting opened at 1200 Central on Aug. 7 and closed at 1200 Central today. The American Arbitration Association administered the voting process and has certified the results. “The pilots of American Airlines have spoken: It’s time to move forward with a new working agreement that provides substantial monetary gains and quality-of-life improvements,” said Capt. Ed Sicher, Allied Pilots Association President. "This contract is a big first step toward restoring the wages, benefits, and work rules that were lost during the past two decades while our profession was under continuous assault. As pilots, we hold a tremendous amount of responsibility with every flight we take. It’s a responsibility we take seriously, as evidenced by the U.S. airline industry’s unrivaled safety record, and it’s time for our profession to provide rewards commensurate with its unique demands." The new, 48-month contract features approximately $1.1 billion in immediate, one-time payments and ratification bonuses; annual pay rate increases for the contract’s duration; and enhancements to various benefits and work rules. Capt. Sicher noted that work-rule changes in the new agreement are intended to help ensure more reliable service for passengers and more predictable schedules for pilots. On average, pilots will see an immediate pay raise of more than 21%. Combined with increases in pilots’ 401(k) contributions and subsequent pay raises each May, pilot compensation rates rise by more than 46% during the contract’s duration. In all, the new contract will provide American Airlines’ pilots with approximately $9.6 billion in additional value versus the prior agreement. It becomes amendable on Aug. 1, 2027, with a provision for the next round of bargaining to begin as soon as November 2026. Quality-of-life improvements represent nearly 20% of the increased value of the new contract, including enhancements to vacation benefits and reassignment pay and increases in training pay and per diem. Improvements in long-term disability benefits, enhanced life insurance benefits, and the creation of a Retiree Health Reimbursement Arrangement and a Market Based Cash Balance Plan for excess 401(k) contributions also deliver substantial value. “I want to offer my thanks and congratulations to the pilots of American Airlines for their engagement and professionalism throughout this lengthy negotiation,” Capt. Sicher said. “I also want to thank our negotiating team, staff, and the many other APA subject-matter experts who contributed their time and talents. “We look forward to continue doing all we can to advance our pilots’ interests by building on the significant contractual gains we have secured,” he said. “Make no mistake – our work is not finished, and we will remain laser-focused on maintaining the momentum we have achieved for the betterment of our members, the airline pilot profession, and the passengers we serve.” Founded in 1963, the Allied Pilots Association – the largest independent pilots union in the United States – is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas. APA represents the 15,000 pilots of American Airlines, including several hundred pilots on full-time military leave of absence serving in the armed forces. The union’s website is AlliedPilots.org.

Agreement in Principle Reached on Proposed Tentative Agreement 2.0

Agreement in Principle Reached on Proposed Tentative Agreement 2.0 Today, your APA Negotiating Committee notified the Board of Directors that we have reached an Agreement in Principle (AIP) with American Airlines management on proposed enhancements to the Tentative Agreement. The AIP, including all related contract language, has been submitted to the Board for its review. The Board will convene a Special Meeting to consider the proposed TA 2.0. If the Board approves the proposed TA 2.0, it will be subject to membership ratification to become our new collective bargaining agreement, with the Board establishing new schedules for the ratification vote and Road Shows. As the Board noted on Sunday when they postponed the ratification vote on the original TA, they expected the process of reaching an AIP on a TA 2.0 to take days, not weeks, and tasked your Negotiating Committee accordingly. We worked diligently with our management counterparts to meet that timeline. This AIP includes the improvements to the current TA discussed by the parties last week, along with additional improvements. In the following list of the proposed changes, you will see that some items are contingent on ratification of the United Agreement in Principle and are noted as such. All items are contingent on an August 2023 ratification of the 2023 TA 2.0. Ratification Bonus LOA ~21% Fully Pensionable Ratification Bonus: January, February, March, and April 2023 will now also be included in addition to May, June, and July 2023. Hourly Pay Rates Snap-up Clause: Contingent on United pilots ratifying their agreement in principle by January 1, 2024 , American Airlines pay rates will increase to match the United and Delta pay rates beginning during the contractual month after their respective snap-up clauses have been completed. Contingent on United pilots ratifying their agreement in principle , all AA annual pay rate increases will be adjusted from May 2 to the preceding January 1 of each respective year during the contract. The Long Range Narrowbody Pay band adjusted such that the hourly pay rates for block hours flown will be paid as a flat override equal to the difference between the Long Range Narrowbody Pay Band and the Narrowbody Pay Band and at 12th year longevity pay step for Captain and First Officer, respectively. 401(k) Direct Contribution Contingent on United pilots ratifying their agreement in principle , the increases to 401(k) contributions will adjust to January 1, 2024 and January 1, 2026. Positive Space and Hotel Following Reassignment and Recovery Flying If a pilot is assigned Recovery Flying or reassigned flying that ends outside of the original sequence footprint and the pilot has no opportunity to commute to their home of record on that day on American Airlines or American Eagle, the pilot will receive: Positive space travel to their home of record the following day; and Will be provided a hotel room International Override Captain: $7.00 First Officer: $5.00 Per Diem – Adjustments Domestic: $2.85 (remains same from TA) International: $3.40 Annual percentage process remains. Medical Reimbursements Pilots will be reimbursed for procedures, tests, treatments, or examinations to regain a First-Class Medical certificate that are not customarily covered by insurance. $5,000 cap per procedure $10,000 lifetime cap Cross-Town Expenses Reserve pilots in bases with co-terminal/satellite airports will be reimbursed for actual expenses up to $300 for travel to and from co-terminal/satellite airports (primary airport not included) for the purpose of duty. Applies to pilots based in domiciles with the following primary airports: DCA, LAX, LGA, MIA. Extended Sick Leave Bank (ESB) Pre-loaded with 120 hours at time of creation ESB Accrual – Five hours per month up to 180 hours Lifetime cap of 540 hours Available for pilot to use as bridge to LTD Available for pilot to “plus-up” LTD payments up to 15 hours per month for up to 12 months Pilot must provide appropriate medical documentation to access ESB. Medical Protections and Qualifications The Company may not require a pilot to undergo any medical procedure(s), other than that which is required by the FAA to maintain a First-Class Medical certificate. If a pilot does not meet a governmental travel requirement to operate to an international or domestic destination due to their vaccination status or for other medical reasons, the pilot will be bid restricted or removed from sequences to such destination(s) without pay protection. Pilots must self-report qualification status, including vaccination, to the Company. Unaugmented Sequence Duty Limits Unaugmented allocated sequences will not be built with duty periods to exceed the lesser of the applicable FAR Table B minus 30 minutes or 13 hours. Reserve Work Block Size Narrowbody Reserve block minimum size must be set to three days for bidding in all months, except for international statuses in bases for which there is also a domestic status for the same fleet (DFW/320/I, ORD/737/I, LGA/737/I). Reserve “Show, No-Go” Pay Increased from two to five hours. Reserve Voluntary Early Report Incentive When a Reserve pilot volunteers and is awarded a sequence that reports prior to 1000 on the first day following a duty-free period or planned absence, the reserve shall receive two hours of pay, no credit, above guarantee. Maximum Duty Periods For allocated Domestic sequences, the number of duty periods in the sequence cannot exceed the number of calendar days of the sequence. Jumpseats on New Aircraft New aircraft from the manufacturer must have a second jumpseat installed if manufacturer configuration option. Life Insurance The Company shall provide eligible pilots with basic term life insurance coverage of $750,000. There is no age-related graduated scale. Open Time Limit Heatmap Added to implementation timeline at no later than DOS 12 months. Will provide a live dynamic visual representation of OTLs on a color gradient scale. Classification Date Adjustment Implementation Classification date adjustments will be made in a progressive order by month of hire. All adjustments will be completed no later than December 31, 2024. Additions to the Post-Ratification LOA Evaluate for potential modification and interaction to pairing construction: Enhanced narrowbody pairing distribution parameters Unaugmented long-duty day RIG (10 hour 1:1) Supplement L discussions and potential modifications Adjustments to how sequences are withheld for training in conjunction with the implementation of Line Check Pilots Thank you for your continued patience and support as we work to finalize this process. Respectfully, Chris, BJ, Adam, and Matt APA Negotiating Committee

Road Shows and Membership Ratification Vote on Hold

Road Shows and Membership Ratification Vote on Hold The announcement of the United Agreement in Principle rendered our current Tentative Agreement (TA) un-ratifiable. We know it, you know it, and management knows it, too. During American Airlines’ second-quarter earnings call on Thursday, Robert Isom and his team proudly touted our airline’s operational and financial performance and prospects for the future. Some of the journalists and analysts on hand asked Robert Isom about the status of our TA. His responses were very consistent – he reiterated his intention to “take care of our pilots” and “match the wages” in the United AIP. During his subsequent State of the Airline remarks, Robert Isom acknowledged his commitment to match wages including retroactive pay. Conspicuously absent from any of his comments: a commitment to adjust the work rules and quality-of-life provisions in the TA in a manner comparable to what Scott Kirby has committed to at United. Robert Isom confirmed his intentions with the proposal his team made and the video he issued to the membership on Friday afternoon. We do not intend to move forward with a TA that simply adopts the economic aspects of the United AIP – and management’s proposal does not even do that in all respects. We have highlighted to management various quality-of-life and work-rule improvements that would bring us in line with our peers. Most of those items remain unaddressed in management’s most recent proposal. Apparently, Robert Isom’s idea of taking care of our pilots and ensuring parity with our peers at other airlines is that we will be paid comparably while working under more onerous work rules. That won’t fly. Robert Isom said he wants pilots to “feel great about their jobs.” For that to happen, we need work rules that meaningfully improve our work-life balance and how we perform our job, and we want a management that recognizes our job is more than just the paycheck we receive for going to work. We firmly believe the time to fix our TA by including the necessary work-rule and quality-of-life enhancements is now. Your Board wants to get to a deal we can send to our membership for ratification. We believe management shares the same goal. Our Negotiating Committee is preparing to meet with its management counterparts in an effort to build on the proposal management offered on Friday to get it to the point where it can be approved and sent to the membership for a ratification vote. We believe there is a path to do that, one which should be accomplished in days, not weeks. As you know, the ratification vote on the current TA is scheduled to open tomorrow, with Road Shows beginning on Tuesday. As noted above, all parties agree the current TA is not ratifiable. Consequently, we will not move forward with a ratification vote and Road Shows on the TA this week. We intend to continue our efforts to reach an amended TA that contains sufficient compensation, work rules, and quality-of-life enhancements comparable to those offered to our peers. Any modifications to the TA will not be done through a Letter of Agreement bypassing membership ratification. Every effort will be made to ensure the membership is the final authority. We remain committed to delivering an amended TA that can be ratified by our membership. We call on management to join us in doing so as soon as possible. In Unity, CA Paul McFarland, BOS Domicile Chair CA Gemma Meehan, BOS Domicile Vice Chair CA Doug Hancock, CLT Domicile Chair FO Erik DeWinne, CLT Domicile Vice Chair CA Joe Collins, DCA Domicile Chair CA Tim Doreen Jr., DCA Domicile Vice Chair CA Jon Sherrell, DFW Domicile Chair FO Jason Gustin, DFW Domicile Vice Chair CA Bill Evans, LAX Domicile Chair CA Tim Dick, LAX Domicile Vice Chair CA Lawrence Cutler, LGA Domicile Chair CA Jim Scanlan, LGA Domicile Vice Chair CA Thomas Copeland, MIA Domicile Chair CA Anne Witcher, MIA Domicile Vice Chair CA Wes Smith, ORD Domicile Chair FO Paul Meyers, ORD Domicile Vice Chair FO Paul DiOrio, PHL Domicile Chair CA Kevin Wilkes, PHL Domicile Vice Chair CA David Duncan, PHX Domicile Chair FO Brian Ellis, PHX Domicile Vice Chair

Inquiries and Requests

Contact Information

Communications Chair

Captain Dennis Tajer

phone 847-902-8481 email APA Public Email Address

Director of Communications

Gregg Overman

phone 817-302-2250 email APA Public Email Address

Communications Editor

Dan Koller

phone 817-302-2251 email APA Public Email Address

Send questions via email

Still have questions?

task_alt

Toasting