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☆ US FAA to hold new round of runway-safety meetings after close calls
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-06 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A commercial aircraft approaches to land at San Diego International Airport in San Diego, California, U.S., January 6, 2022. The new meetings with the FAA, airlines, pilots, airport vehicle drivers and others will take place by Dec. 31. On Thursday, a U.S. Senate Commerce subcommittee will hold a hearing on recent incidents that raised questions about FAA air traffic control operations. The hearing will include FAA Air Traffic Organization head Tim Arel, National Transportation Safety Board Chair Jennifer Homendy, National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA) President Rich Santa, Air Lines Pilots Association President Jason Ambrosi and former FAA administrator Randy Babbitt. The FAA said in September it was seeking recommendations on making it compulsory for airports to include cockpit-alerting technologies that could improve runway safety.

Persons: Mike Blake, Washington Reagan, Tim Arel, Jennifer Homendy, Rich, Jason Ambrosi, Randy Babbitt, Homendy, Bernadette Baum Organizations: San Diego International Airport, REUTERS, Rights, U.S . Federal Aviation Administration, FAA, National Transportation Safety Board, Fort, U.S, Senate, FAA Air Traffic Organization, Transportation, National Air Traffic Controllers Association, Rich Santa, Air Lines Pilots, Southwest Airlines, Boeing, Cessna, FedEx, Southwest Boeing, Thomson Locations: San Diego , California, U.S, Boston, Newark, Washington, Dallas, Fort Worth, Austin , Texas

☆ US airline pilots fight their unions to increase retirement age
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-22 | by ( Rajesh Kumar Singh | Allison Lampert | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +7 min

Increasing the age limit by two years would also align pilot retirement with the minimum federal retirement age, allowing them to receive full social security benefits. But the specific question of increasing the retirement age to 67 was never brought to the floor for a vote. “This is a coup by junior pilots against senior pilots,” said Allen Baker, who retired as a United Airlines pilot in June. Dennis Tajer, a spokesman for American Airlines pilots union, said pilots seeking higher retirement age want to keep earning longer. But United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby has said lifting the retirement age would not solve the pilot shortage.

Persons: Bo Ellis, F, Andrew Kelly ALPA, Ellis, ALPA, ”, “, ” ALPA, Rick Redfern, Savanthi Syth, Raymond James ., Dan Carr, Carr, Allen Baker, Baker, Dennis Tajer, Jason Ambrosi, Barry Biffle, Scott Kirby, Jonathan Ornstein Organizations: Reuters, Air Line Pilots Association, Kennedy International Airport, REUTERS, U.S . Congress, Regional Airline Association, Southwest Airlines, Air, Mesa, MESA, United Airlines, United, U.S . Senate, Raymond James . JUNIOR, American Airlines, Frontier Airlines, International Air Transport Association Locations: Queens , New York City, U.S, Delta, United, Redfern, Canada, Japan, Australia, Mesa

Increasing the age limit by two years would also align pilot retirement with the minimum federal retirement age, allowing them to receive full social security benefits. But the specific question of increasing the retirement age to 67 was never brought to the floor for a vote. "This is a coup by junior pilots against senior pilots," said Allen Baker, who retired as a United Airlines pilot in June. Dennis Tajer, a spokesman for American Airlines pilots union, said pilots seeking higher retirement age want to keep earning longer. But United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby has said lifting the retirement age would not solve the pilot shortage.

Persons: F, Andrew Kelly, Bo Ellis, ALPA, Ellis, Rick Redfern, Savanthi Syth, Raymond James ., Dan Carr, Carr, Allen Baker, Baker, Dennis Tajer, Jason Ambrosi, Barry Biffle, Scott Kirby, Jonathan Ornstein, Rajesh Kumar Singh, Allison Lampert, Ben Klayman, Grant McCool Organizations: Pilots, Kennedy International Airport, REUTERS, Air Line Pilots Association, U.S . Congress, Regional Airline Association, Southwest Airlines, Reuters, Mesa, MESA, United Airlines, United, U.S . Senate, Raymond James . JUNIOR, American Airlines, Frontier Airlines, International Air Transport Association, Thomson Locations: Queens , New York City, U.S, Redfern, Canada, Japan, Australia, Chicago, Montreal

☆ Lawmakers wrangle over measures to address pilot shortage
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-15 | by ( Greg Wallace | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —A series of controversial proposals to address the airline pilot shortage is complicating Congress’ consideration of a new slate of Federal Aviation Administration policies with one senator warning fellow lawmakers there will be blood on their hands if reduced pilot training causes a fatal accident. The measures presented by lawmakers include raising the pilot retirement age, allowing more training to occur in a flight simulator rather than aircraft cockpit, and fast-tracking training programs. The measures are hotly contested and are aimed at addressing a shortage in airline pilots that was exacerbated by the pandemic. The Illinois Democrat scolded those who feel simulator training will be equivalent and said she didn’t believe reducing training hours would solve the shortage. On the House side, the House Transportation Committee narrowly approved an amendment that would raise the mandatory pilot retirement age by two years to 67.

Persons: Sen, John Thune of, Republican Sen, Jerry Moran, ”, “, Jason Ambrosi, Tammy Duckworth, Troy Nehls, ” Nehls, You’re, Rick Larsen, Nehls Organizations: CNN, Federal Aviation Administration, FAA, Republican, Senate, Air Line Pilots Association union, Illinois Democrat, Transportation, Texas Republican, AARP, Regional Airline Association, United, ” Locations: John Thune of South Dakota, Kansas, Iraq, Illinois, Texas, American, Delta

☆ WestJet pay debate sets scene for Air Canada's pilots
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-18 | by ( Allison Lampert | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

MONTREAL, May 18 (Reuters) - A faceoff this week between WestJet Airlines and its pilots over pay could set the stage for aviators' demands in future bargaining with Air Canada (AC.TO). It would be the first major pilots' strike in Canada since 1998, according to a spokesperson for Canada's Labor Minister Seamus O'Regan, who is at the talks. ALPA president Jason Ambrosi recently told Reuters that a key priority is to narrow the pay gap between Air Canada pilots and their U.S. counterparts, echoing the union's demand for a "North American" contract at WestJet. Gradek added there is a group of Air Canada pilots "who have been chomping at the bit" to get a significant bump in wages. Air Canada pilots, who have received a 2% wage increase per year since 2014, have complained Delta’s latest hourly pay rates are up to 45% higher.

"That's what we are looking towards as we are working with our pilots union to get a deal done." American Airlines, United Airlines (UAL.O) and Southwest Airlines (LUV.N) are all in the middle of contract negotiations with their pilots. The carrier's pilot union said it made no concessions in the deal, which included dozens of work-rule improvements and quality-of-life related items. In an update to its members this week, United's pilot union said it is seeking similar improvements. Casey Murray, head of the Dallas-based airline's pilot union, said it has lost more pilots in the first four months of this year than it did in all of 2022.

☆ US airlines about to be hit with ‘tsunami’ of pilot retirements
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( Greg Wallace | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Washington DC CNN —The US airline industry is about to be hit with a “tsunami of pilot retirements” that will further the nation’s pilot shortage, limiting flight availability for passengers and putting upward pressure on fares, an industry group told Congress Wednesday. Black’s group represents the regional carriers which provide feeder service for the larger airlines such as American, United (UAL)and Delta (DAL). But the union representing most US airline pilots urged Congress against changing pilot qualification and training standards in an attempt to address the pilot shortage, saying some ideas would compromise safety. The Regional Airline Association, representing carriers that connect major cities to smaller regional airports, noted that the airlines are not the only destination for pilots with that qualification and warned of a significant pilot shortage that will get worse with a “tsunami” of retirements. Senior airline pilots frequently fly international routes, but international rules have an age 65 limit.

☆ U.S. House committee to hold aviation safety hearing
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-02 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

WASHINGTON, Feb 1 (Reuters) - A Federal Aviation Administration safety official, National Transportation Safety Board chair and head of the largest pilots union are among those who will testify on Feb. 7 before Congress. Associate FAA Administrator for Aviation Safety David Boulter, NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy, Air Line Pilots Association President Jason Ambrosi, National Business Aviation Association CEO Ed Bolen and General Aviation Manufacturers Association CEO Pete Bunce are among the witnesses, the committee said Wednesday. Billy Nolen, the head of aviation safety, has been acting FAA administrator since April 1 when Steve Dickson left halfway through his five-year term. The Senate Commerce Committee has yet to schedule a hearing on President Joe Biden's FAA nominee who has drawn fire from Republicans. Last month, the FAA named two dozen experts to review Boeing’s safety management processes and safety culture.

One day after Delta Air Lines pilots authorized a potential strike, United Airlines pilots rejected a tentative contract agreement, setting the stage for possible work stoppages as the busy holiday travel season approaches. Delta pilots voted Monday for a strike if necessary in order to secure a new contract with the nation's second-largest carrier. In a statement, Delta said Monday's strike authorization vote would not affect customers and that under federal labor law, a strike cannot occur until certain conditions are met. According to a statement, pilots will immediately begin a series of informational picketing events as they work to rally support. Pilot scheduling issues are one of the reasons air travel in 2022 has been beset by delays and cancellations, he said.

☆ Delta pilots say they’re willing to strike, but no impact to Thanksgiving travel is expected
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-31 | by ( Pete Muntean | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

CNN Business —Delta Air Lines pilots intensified their push for improved pay by insisting they will strike if they do not get a new contract. With 96% of members participating in an Air Line Pilots Association union vote, 99% of Delta pilots “authorized union leaders to call a strike, if necessary, to achieve a new contractual agreement,” the union said. Delta pilots say they are working under an outdated contract from 2016. “Delta pilots are not on strike, so this authorization vote will not affect our operation for our customers,” a Delta spokesperson said in a statement. “Delta and ALPA have made significant progress in our negotiations and have only a few contract sections left to resolve.

☆ Delta pilots vote in favor of potential strike as contract talks drag on
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-31 | by ( Leslie Josephs | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Delta Air Lines pilots voted overwhelmingly to authorize a strike if contract talks between the carrier and the union don't lead to an agreement, the labor group said Monday. Covid derailed contract talks throughout the airline industry starting in 2020. Talks have since resumed, and the Delta pilot strike vote underscores the difficulty in getting agreements through. It's time for the Company to get serious at the bargaining table and invest in the Delta pilots." Earlier this year, Alaska Airlines pilots voted to authorize a potential strike.

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