We’ve heard from a number of American Airlines pilots today who were very unhappy about the company’s proposal.
In particular, they’re not happy with American’s proposal to increase the ceiling on the number of seats allowed on jets flying as American Eagle.
AA president Scott Kirby sent a conciliatory letter to the Allied Pilots Association board of directors Tuesday in which he said the company wouldn’t be putting forward its idea of raising the maximum seating on regional jets to 81 seats. The current limit is 76, applied to two airplane types – the Embraer E175 and Bombardier CRJ900.
But while American isn’t pushing for more seats on those airplanes, it is pushing to raise the seating limits of smaller RJs. The current ceiling on that group is 65 seats. American Airlines wants to raise it to 70 seats.
In addition, there is a desire for profit-sharing, which management does not want in any of its labor contracts. There was no profit-sharing in the flight attendant contract, voted down by Association of Professional Flight Attendants members.
The proposed pay rates are Delta’s rates plus 3 percent, we’re told. But Delta pilots also get profit-sharing, AA pilots are saying.
And, of course, there are dozens of other issues out there, too.
So we’ve got some interesting days ahead.