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The Allied Pilots Association (APA), representing the 12,000
pilots of American Airlines (NYSE: AMR), is urging President Bush to
follow through with his stated intention of vetoing a transportation
appropriations bill.
The spending bill includes language that would raise airline pilot
retirement age to 65 from the current age 60 standard. Congress is
expected to pass the bill sometime this week. The legislation will
then go to the White House for final approval.
"By an overwhelming majority, our pilots support keeping
retirement at age 60," said APA President Captain Lloyd Hill. "They
support the current mandatory retirement age based on numerous safety
concerns, foremost among them pilot fatigue."
Hill pointed out that the National Transportation Safety Board has
linked pilot fatigue to 10 commercial aviation accidents since 1993
that killed 260 people. He also noted that the issue of pilot fatigue
has generated significant public attention recently. An article in the
Nov. 7, 2007 issue of USA Today reported that fatigue led hundreds of
pilots, mechanics and air traffic controllers to make mistakes on the
job, including six cases where pilots fell asleep in mid-flight.
Pilots acknowledged that they "flew to the wrong altitude, botched
landings and missed radio calls."
Hill added that research by the Aerospace Medical Association has
shown that older pilots have greater difficulty dealing with the
physical demands of overnight flying and long flights across multiple
time zones. The Federal Aviation Administration has conceded that
older pilots' accumulated experience does not compensate for the
impact of fatigue on their performance.
"President Bush has cited cost concerns as the reason behind his
plans to veto the transportation appropriations bill," Hill said. "We
agree the bill would prove costly -- but not just in dollars and
cents."
APA plans to run newspaper advertising later this week that calls
on airline passengers to make their voices heard. The union will
recommend that travelers contact the White House to urge President
Bush to follow through with his veto plans.
"We will let our passengers know that for safety's sake, it's the
right thing to do," he said.
Founded in 1963, the Allied Pilots Association -- the largest
independent pilot union in the U.S. -- is headquartered in Fort Worth,
Texas. APA represents the 12,000 pilots of American Airlines,
including 2,246 pilots on furlough. The furloughs began shortly after
the September 11, 2001 attacks. Also, several hundred American
Airlines pilots are on full-time military leave of absence serving in
the armed forces. The union's Web site address is
www.alliedpilots.org.
American Airlines is the nation's largest passenger carrier and
fifth-largest cargo carrier.
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