American Airlines triples pilots' pay after scheduling glitch

After a computer glitch that left thousands of flights with understaffed cockpits, American Airlines has agreed to triple their pilots' normal pay. The scheduling glitch occurred on Saturday morning and it allowed pilots to drop flights that the airline was counting on. There were more than 12,000 flights without one or both required pilots, according to the Allied Pilots Association, the pilots union at American, which employs roughly 13,000 APA members. 

Meanwhile, although the triple pay is a one-time windfall for the pilots, the airline has also announced that it will permanently double the pay for pilots who agree to fly on peak days, which often fall during holiday travel periods. The airline said in a statement, "We're pleased to have reached an agreement with the APA and appreciate their partnership in coming to a resolution quickly to take care of our pilots, our team and our customers."

American Airlines and many other US carriers have been struggling to deal with a surge in flight cancellations and staffing shortages. Just this summer, the entire airline industry has had to cancel thousands of US flights due to a shortage of crew members. Often, these cancellations peaked during holiday weekends like  Memorial Day, the weekend of Father's Day and Juneteenth and the Independence Day holiday. There was also a surge of cancellations over the Christmas and New Year's holiday travel period last year.

Source: CNN