Union: United pilot shortfall

Airline is understaffed for disruptions, group says

Chris Walsh, Rocky Mountain News

Published June 1, 2006 at midnight

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United Airlines could face a pilot shortfall this summer if bad weather or other problems trigger delays at its major hubs, the union representing those workers says.

The Air Line Pilots Association has told the carrier, which cut its employee ranks significantly in recent years, that it needs more pilots to handle unexpected disruptions during what's shaping up to be the busiest summer ever for U.S. air travel.

The union is concerned that severe thunderstorms at major United hubs could ripple systemwide, pushing pilots more quickly than expected to the maximum number of hours they're contractually and legally allowed to work. That, in turn, could force cancellations.

United is the nation's second-largest carrier and the dominant airline in Denver, where it operates about 450 daily departures.

"If a hub goes down because of thunderstorms, it totally changes the schedule and guys run out of time," said Capt. Steve Derebey, a spokesman for ALPA, which represents about 6,350 United pilots. "The system backs up and schedules go out the window. Towards the end of the month, you can run out of reserves."

The union did not estimate how many more pilots the carrier needs.

United said it has enough reserve pilots to handle weather delays and other problems associated with the summer season.

"We have thunderstorms at Denver and Chicago every summer," said Pete McDonald, United's chief operating officer. "We believe and are highly confident that we will fly our schedule with a high level of completion."

In the summer of 2000, Chicago-based United was forced to cancel thousands of flights amid severe thunderstorms and the refusal of many pilots to work overtime. Pilots, who were negotiating a contentious new contract with the carrier, cited worker shortages as a reason for the problems.

Aside from United, other airlines could face similar challenges this summer. The union that represents US Airways pilots, for example, is concerned about a possible repeat of last summer, when the carrier was forced to cancel numerous flights in part because of staffing issues.

"We're still trying to fly more hours with less people, and it's like overstressing an engine, asking it to do more than it can physically do," said Jack Stephan, chairman of the ALPA unit that represents US Airways pilots.

Many carriers still are struggling to make profits amid soaring fuel prices, and they've cut their operations - and employee ranks - to the core.

"From the airlines' standpoint, it's better to cancel flights at times than to pay for any surplus, any fat in the system," said aviation analyst Richard Aboulafia of the Teal Group in Fairfax, Va.

United cut about 3,500 pilot positions over the course of a three-year bankruptcy case that ended in February. About 1,500 remain on furlough.

Contractually, United pilots work under a monthly flying cap of 95 hours - depending on aircraft type - but don't get paid for time they must spend in other cities and on other duties.

Their hours are also restricted by federal regulations.

Other United worker unions that don't face the same hourly limitations said they believe staffing is adequate, although they indicated that any problems with pilot staffing could trickle down to other groups.

Staffing concerns in the airline industry are typical ahead of the summer months, but the issue could be exacerbated this year because of the sheer volume of people flying, experts say. About 2 million more people will take to the skies this summer than during the same period last year, according to the Washington D.C.-based Air Transport Association.

Cancellations also could be tougher to deal with than in previous years, as planes are packed, making it tougher to reroute passengers on other flights.

"The situation is unique this year because in the past you could just roll people over to the next flight," said New York-based industry consultant Robert Mann. "This summer, if something doesn't fly, you might have 150 to 200 people that aren't going to get to their destination for days."

By the numbers

207 million: Number of passengers expected to fly on U.S. airlines this summer, about 2 million more than last year. That would be a record.

100 Approximate number of aircraft United shed during its recent three-year bankruptcy

3,500 Approximate number of pilot positions United cut while in bankruptcy

1,500 United pilots who remain on furlough

300 furloughed pilots United expects to bring back this year

Sources: United, Air Transport Association, Air Line Pilots Association

walshc@RockyMountainNews.com or 303-892-2744

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