A300Capt
Freight Dawg
APA\'s response to \"10 Most Overpaid Jobs\"
Allied Pilots Association Releases Statement in Response to Article about
``10 Most Overpaid Jobs''
Wednesday November 19, 11:50 am ET
'Pilots responsible for assets worth $100 million or more and hundreds of
lives every day they're on the job'
FORT WORTH, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 19, 2003-- The Allied Pilots
Association (APA), collective bargaining agent for the 13,500 pilots of
American Airlines (NYSE:AMR - News), released the following statement today
in response to an article originally posted to the CBS Market Watch Web
Site.
"On behalf of the pilots who fly for American Airlines, the world's largest
passenger carrier, I would like to register my strong objection at finding
'Pilots for major airlines' included in the piece by Chris Pummer entitled
'The 10 most overpaid jobs in the U.S.' posted to the CBS Market Watch Web
Site earlier this month," said Captain John E. Darrah, APA President.
"Airline pilots for major carriers must undergo years of specialized
training and experience before assuming responsibility for a corporate asset
worth $100 million or more and hundreds of lives every day we're on the
job--a profession where we undergo annual proficiency checks, rigorous
recurrent training, biannual medical exams, psychological screening and
random drug testing, and where any number of relatively minor health
ailments can abruptly end our career," said Darrah.
"Many of our pilots are initially trained in the military in service to our
country, and begin their airline careers at the age of 30 or older. In fact,
we have more than 500 pilots currently on active military duty, with many in
harm's way in the Middle East. And speaking of harm's way, each time our
pilots go to work, they do so with the awareness that a number of their
fellow crewmembers were savagely murdered by terrorists just two short years
ago. As a consequence of September 11, 2001, increasing numbers of our
pilots are undergoing training as Federal Flight Deck Officers to carry
firearms and serve as the vital last line of defense against a terrorist
attack--yet another example of the life-and-death responsibilities that our
pilots bear.
"The average age of an American Airlines new-hire pilot is around 30 years
old, and the typical annual starting salary for pilots with major airlines
is around $25,000. There are few professions that require such extensive
training and experience at the outset that provide such a low starting
salary. The well-compensated airline pilots that Mr. Pummer references are
senior Captains with 25-plus years of experience, and they're flying the
largest aircraft, with the biggest passenger loads, over the longest
distances in commercial aviation.
"While I agree that the work our skilled mechanics perform is vitally
important, it's the pilots who bring the ship back safely to earth when
something goes wrong. It's not 'automation' or 'technology' that saves
hundreds of lives when an aircraft suffers structural failure or the
malfunction of a critical component--it's the pilots. How much value do you
place on that skill level?
"In just the last few weeks, we have had American Airlines pilots cope with
a variety of emergency situations, such as safely landing an aircraft with
the nose gear stuck in the 'up' position and, on three occasions, safely
landing aircraft that have sustained crippling damage to the engines and
airframe from striking large flocks of migratory birds," he said.
"There are numerous other instances where pilots have successfully averted
disaster over the years. Consider the 291 passengers aboard an AirTransat
A330-200 in the Azores on August 24, 2001 after both engines lost power at
cruise altitude due to a leak in the fuel system. The pilots were able to
coax the huge jet to glide without power for 20 minutes for about 115 miles
over the ocean and land on a military airfield runway, averting a mid-ocean
ditching. Did the passengers who gratefully deplaned that day think their
pilots were overpaid? I am betting the answer is a resounding 'No!'"
That is the full text of Captain Darrah's statement.
Since the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, American Airlines has
furloughed more than 2,000 pilots, with additional furloughs scheduled in
the coming months. The contract American Airlines' pilots voted to approve
earlier this year contained across-the-board pay cuts of 23 percent. In many
instances, pilots have experienced actual pay reductions of up to 40 percent
because they have been transferred from Captain to First Officer due to the
airline's reduction in operations.
Allied Pilots Association Releases Statement in Response to Article about
``10 Most Overpaid Jobs''
Wednesday November 19, 11:50 am ET
'Pilots responsible for assets worth $100 million or more and hundreds of
lives every day they're on the job'
FORT WORTH, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 19, 2003-- The Allied Pilots
Association (APA), collective bargaining agent for the 13,500 pilots of
American Airlines (NYSE:AMR - News), released the following statement today
in response to an article originally posted to the CBS Market Watch Web
Site.
"On behalf of the pilots who fly for American Airlines, the world's largest
passenger carrier, I would like to register my strong objection at finding
'Pilots for major airlines' included in the piece by Chris Pummer entitled
'The 10 most overpaid jobs in the U.S.' posted to the CBS Market Watch Web
Site earlier this month," said Captain John E. Darrah, APA President.
"Airline pilots for major carriers must undergo years of specialized
training and experience before assuming responsibility for a corporate asset
worth $100 million or more and hundreds of lives every day we're on the
job--a profession where we undergo annual proficiency checks, rigorous
recurrent training, biannual medical exams, psychological screening and
random drug testing, and where any number of relatively minor health
ailments can abruptly end our career," said Darrah.
"Many of our pilots are initially trained in the military in service to our
country, and begin their airline careers at the age of 30 or older. In fact,
we have more than 500 pilots currently on active military duty, with many in
harm's way in the Middle East. And speaking of harm's way, each time our
pilots go to work, they do so with the awareness that a number of their
fellow crewmembers were savagely murdered by terrorists just two short years
ago. As a consequence of September 11, 2001, increasing numbers of our
pilots are undergoing training as Federal Flight Deck Officers to carry
firearms and serve as the vital last line of defense against a terrorist
attack--yet another example of the life-and-death responsibilities that our
pilots bear.
"The average age of an American Airlines new-hire pilot is around 30 years
old, and the typical annual starting salary for pilots with major airlines
is around $25,000. There are few professions that require such extensive
training and experience at the outset that provide such a low starting
salary. The well-compensated airline pilots that Mr. Pummer references are
senior Captains with 25-plus years of experience, and they're flying the
largest aircraft, with the biggest passenger loads, over the longest
distances in commercial aviation.
"While I agree that the work our skilled mechanics perform is vitally
important, it's the pilots who bring the ship back safely to earth when
something goes wrong. It's not 'automation' or 'technology' that saves
hundreds of lives when an aircraft suffers structural failure or the
malfunction of a critical component--it's the pilots. How much value do you
place on that skill level?
"In just the last few weeks, we have had American Airlines pilots cope with
a variety of emergency situations, such as safely landing an aircraft with
the nose gear stuck in the 'up' position and, on three occasions, safely
landing aircraft that have sustained crippling damage to the engines and
airframe from striking large flocks of migratory birds," he said.
"There are numerous other instances where pilots have successfully averted
disaster over the years. Consider the 291 passengers aboard an AirTransat
A330-200 in the Azores on August 24, 2001 after both engines lost power at
cruise altitude due to a leak in the fuel system. The pilots were able to
coax the huge jet to glide without power for 20 minutes for about 115 miles
over the ocean and land on a military airfield runway, averting a mid-ocean
ditching. Did the passengers who gratefully deplaned that day think their
pilots were overpaid? I am betting the answer is a resounding 'No!'"
That is the full text of Captain Darrah's statement.
Since the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, American Airlines has
furloughed more than 2,000 pilots, with additional furloughs scheduled in
the coming months. The contract American Airlines' pilots voted to approve
earlier this year contained across-the-board pay cuts of 23 percent. In many
instances, pilots have experienced actual pay reductions of up to 40 percent
because they have been transferred from Captain to First Officer due to the
airline's reduction in operations.