American Airlines pilots union says there has been a 'significant spike' in safety-related issues

The Allied Pilots Association said it has been tracking a "significant spike in safety- and maintenance-related problems" and urged members to be diligent.

"While United Airlines is currently under public and government scrutiny, it could just as easily be American Airlines," the union said in a memo on Saturday.

"Remember: Don’t rush, don’t be intimidated, and don’t be pressured into doing something that doesn’t pass the ‘smell test.' Just because it’s legal doesn’t make it safe," the union cautioned.

The APA said it has seen numerous "problematic trends" including tools left in wheel wells, improperly closed-out maintenance actions, items left in the safe area near jet bridges, collisions between planes as they are being towed or tugged and "pressure to return aircraft to line service to maintain on-time performance due to a lack of spares."

American Airlines said in a statement Wednesday that "safety at any airline is a shared mission and it’s especially true at American."

"Our robust safety program is guided by our industry-leading safety management system," a spokesperson said. "It includes a multitude of collaborative programs — and regular touchpoints — with the FAA and all our unions, including APA, to further bolster our strong safety record and enhance our ever-evolving safety culture."

The APA’s message comes weeks after United Airlines announced that the Federal Aviation Administration will examine “multiple areas of our operation” to ensure safety compliance, according to The Associated Press. The airliner has faced several major safety issues, including a plane losing a tire during takeoff and a piece of the outer fuselage falling off one aircraft.

APA President Capt. Ed Sicher said union leaders met with senior management earlier in the month to discuss the issues the union had raised.

"Thanks to the diligent efforts of the APA Safety Committee and Maintenance and Technical Analysis Committee, we now have management’s full attention," Sicher said, writing in a memo Monday that the union will be involved earlier in the safety risk assessment process.

"We are likewise seeking a commitment that APA will have a seat at the table for the entire quality assurance process," he said. "APA is squarely focused on finding solutions — which will require collaboration between the union and management — and management’s initial response to our concerns was encouraging."