WASHINGTON, D.C. — The union representing America West Airline’s 1,800 pilots says the carrier’s scheduling policies are forcing exhausted pilots to fly, a wire service reported.
The Air Line Pilots Association said a policy where pilots aren’t paid if fatigue keeps them from working a shift is particularly risky.
The union also complains about what pilots call “black flag pairings,” which tend to be lengthy and unpredictable shifts that don’t take into account time needed to rest.
The unions said the problem suggests the need for America West to hire additional crew members.
In a 1999 questionnaire circulated by the union to members, about 90 percent of the 477 responding pilots said they had dozed off at least once while flying. The survey didn’t ask pilots how recently they had dozed off in the cockpit or whether they worked for America West at the time.
Union Chairman Herb Holland said pilots are working today under the same conditions that existed when the survey was conducted.
America West management has repeatedly dismissed requests by the group to make changes and hire more pilots, he said.
America West officials strongly deny the union’s claims that its pilots are too fatigued and insist the airline follows the letter of the law.
The union and America West are engaged in contract negotiations, and the scheduling issue is a topic the union wants addressed.
Airline operations chief Jeff McClelland denied the union ever gave the survey’s findings to the airline but declined to comment further on the 3-year-old results.
McClelland said the airline doesn’t exert pressure on overworked pilots to fly when tired.