US Airways Pilots Sue Over Seniority List

By Jefferson George, The Charlotte Observer, N.C.

Jun. 28–The east vs. west battle over a seniority list for pilots as part of the US Airways-America West merger has entered the courts.

Lawyers for US Airways pilots on Tuesday asked the Superior Court of the District of Columbia to throw out a May arbitration ruling that integrates US Airways and America West pilots onto one seniority list.

The pilots also asked the union that represents both sets of pilots to “remain neutral” and not release the arbitration award to US Airways executives. Pilots for the old US Airways, known as the ‘east’ portion of the new company, maintain that the arbitrator did not follow union rules in integrating the two seniority lists.

In response, America West pilots called their US Airways counterparts “disgruntled” and “arrogant,” and accused them of dragging out the seniority issue instead of focusing on contract negotiations with management.

US Airways and America West can’t officially become one airline until this issue and others are settled and the Federal Aviation Administration grants a single operating certificate.

US Airways is based in the former America West headquarters in Tempe, Ariz. The airline’s busiest hub is in Charlotte.

Read tomorrow’s Charlotte Observer for more details on this story.

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