American Airlines 58% Pilots Wants to Change APA Union

FORT WORTH- American Airlines (AA) pilots are showing growing support for exploring a potential union change, with 58% of surveyed pilots indicating they favor investigating a merger with the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA).

The Allied Pilots Association (APA), which currently represents approximately 16,000 pilots at American Airlines (AA), recently conducted a poll showing majority interest in exploring alternatives.

Photo: American Airlines

American Airlines Pilots Union Change

The University of New Hampshire Survey Center interviewed 908 APA pilots in February, revealing significant backing for establishing a committee to examine merging with ALPA, which represents pilots at most major North American carriers including Delta Air Lines (DL) and United Airlines (UA).

The survey results, detailed in a recent APA memo seen by AirlineGeeks, indicate a clear preference among American Airlines pilots to explore representation alternatives. Of the pilots polled, 58% expressed they either “strongly” or “somewhat favor” establishing a committee to investigate merging with ALPA, the larger aviation union that represents pilots across numerous North American airlines.

However, the transition isn’t unanimously supported. Approximately 25% of surveyed pilots expressed firm opposition to an ALPA merger. These pilots indicated they either don’t want a committee formed, oppose funding such a committee, or have intrinsic opposition to changing unions.

The University of New Hampshire pollster who briefed APA directors in late March noted there was no “unanimous sentiment on either side of the question,” though adding, “You have a majority who want to go forward.”

Photo: Airline pilots protest Wall Street | United/Continental pilot… | Flickr

History of Merger Efforts

This push for union representation change isn’t new for American Airlines pilots. In 2023, an advocacy group called “AA Pilots for ALPA” reported to Forbes that they had collected 8,219 cards supporting a merger with ALPA. This figure represented approximately half of American Airlines’ total pilot workforce, demonstrating significant grassroots interest in changing representation.

The potential shift comes at a time when pilot unions across the industry have been securing improved contracts following the post-pandemic recovery in air travel.

ALPA, as the larger organization representing pilots at multiple major carriers, potentially offers different resources and bargaining leverage than the independent APA.

If American Airlines pilots were to shift their representation from APA to ALPA, it would significantly consolidate pilot union representation among major U.S. carriers. ALPA already represents pilots at Delta, United, and numerous other airlines, making it the dominant pilot union in North America.

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