American Pilots Seek 53 Percent Pay Hike

The pilots union at American Airlines asked for a one-time raise that would restore pilot salaries to 1992 levels when adjusted for inflation.

The request, amounting to a 53 percent raise, was included in the proposal the Allied Pilots Association presented the company Tuesday, the Fort Worth (Texas) Star-Telegram reported Wednesday. Analysts said the proposal likely would lead to protracted contract negotiations with the airline based in Fort Worth.

Union leaders said the proposal restores buying power pilots lost since 1992 because of pay cuts and inflation. They also noted that airline executives enjoyed a substantial pay increase in pay in recent years.

Inflation has killed our purchasing power, said Karl Schricker, an American pilot and APA spokesman. Senior management, meanwhile, has seen theirs go up over 500 percent.

Airline officials said they were reviewing the proposal, but stressed any significant pay increase would hurt the company’s competitive position.

Negotiations between APA, which represents about 12,000 pilots, and American Airlines are being watched by the industry, the newspaper said. American is the first major U.S. carrier to negotiate with pilots since a series of bankruptcies and restructuring at United, Delta and other airlines cut employee wages and benefits.