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Home » American Airlines » American Airlines Pilots Resist Vaccine Mandate, Warn Of Disruptions
American Airlines

American Airlines Pilots Resist Vaccine Mandate, Warn Of Disruptions

Matthew Klint Posted onSeptember 29, 2021 32 Comments

American Airlines Pilots Threat

Pilots at American Airlines are pushing back against the Biden Administration vaccine mandate, demanding exemptions and warning the vaccine mandate will lead to travel disruptions.

American Airlines Pilots Fight Vaccine Mandate

In a letter to lawmakers, the Allied Pilots Association (APA), the union representing pilots from American Airlines, objects to the new vaccine mandate, arguing:

To ensure commercial aviation’s ongoing viability by avoiding a scenario in which airlines are forced to either offer unpaid leaves of absence or, worse, implement mass terminations of unvaccinated pilots, it is essential that an alternate means of compliance with the Executive Order be made available for professional pilots.

We therefore urge that regulators and policymakers recognize the specialized role that pilots play in the commercial aviation industry and allow for an alternate means of minimizing the risk of spreading COVID-19, such as regular testing or proof of natural immunity, while still allowing unvaccinated pilots to fly.

Biden’s Executive Order does have an alternate testing protocol, but no such testing option is offered to federal contractors. Because of the unique relationship between U.S. airlines and the U.S. federal government, it is not clear (yet) if airlines will be considered federal contractors. That implicates whether a testing option will be available.

In presenting their case, the APA cites a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) rules which holds,  “FAA medical certificate holders may not act as a pilot in command, or in any other capacity as a required flight crew member, for 48 hours after each dose.” It concludes:

Some of APA’s members are unable to undergo vaccination for documented medical reasons, while others are reluctant to get vaccinated based upon concerns about the potential for career-ending side effects.

Meanwhile, at United Airlines, the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) union has been onboard with United’s mandatory vaccine policy. Pilots even had a head start over other work groups through a generous bonus offering extended to those who were vaccinated early.

CONCLUSION

The APA is fighting the vaccine mandate on behalf of its pilots, arguing that alternative means of protection should be offered. The APA’s action is in start juxtaposition to that of ALPA, which has gone along with United’s vaccine mandate without any vocal protest, at least that has been made public. At this point, it is not clear what percentage of pilots at American Airlines have actually been vaccinated.

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About Author

Matthew Klint

Matthew is an avid traveler who calls Los Angeles home. Each year he travels more than 200,000 miles by air and has visited more than 135 countries. Working both in the aviation industry and as a travel consultant, Matthew has been featured in major media outlets around the world and uses his Live and Let's Fly blog to share the latest news in the airline industry, commentary on frequent flyer programs, and detailed reports of his worldwide travel.

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32 Comments

  1. Gene Reply
    September 29, 2021 at 11:05 am

    Fire them all.

    • Margaret Landon Reply
      September 30, 2021 at 3:58 am

      You are nuts

    • Laurie Nelson Reply
      October 7, 2021 at 3:37 pm

      I hope all the pilots are familiar with Rebekah Roth and know the truth of this POISON JAB. Please don’t take it. We are not being told the truth about ANYTHING! Try to get the full truth about EXACTLY what is in those vaccines and what they do to you. Before you agree to anything, ask the following:

      1. Can you please advise the approved legal status of any vaccine and if it is experimental?

      2. Can you please provide details and assurances that the vaccine has been fully, independently, and rigorously tested against control groups and the subsequent outcomes of those tests?

      3. Can you please advise the entire list of contents of the vaccine I am to receive and if any are toxic to the body? Also provide safety data sheets for all chemicals contained in the vaccine so I have the opportunity to review.

      4. Can you please fully advise of all the adverse reactions associated with this vaccine since its an introduction?

      5. Can you please confirm that the vaccine you are advocating is NOT experimental mRNA gene-altering therapy?

      6. Can you please confirm that I will not be under any duress from you as my employers, in compliance with the Nuremberg Code?

      7. Can you please advise me of the likely risk of fatality, should I be unfortunate to contract Covid 19, and the likelihood of recovery?

      8. Can you please advise me if I were to experience any adverse reactions is the manufacturer of the vaccine liable? If the manufacturer isn’t liable will the company I’m currently employed with be responsible & liable as it is their request that I have the vaccine in order to carry on my employment?

      Once I have received the above information in full and I am satisfied that there is NO threat to my health, I will be happy to accept your offer to receive the treatment, but with certain conditions – namely that:
      1. You confirm in writing that I will suffer no harm.

      2. Following acceptance of this, the offer must be signed by a fully qualified doctor who will take full legal and financial responsibility for any injuries occurring to myself, and/or from any interactions by authorized personnel regarding these procedures.

      3. In the event that I should have to decline the offer of vaccination, please confirm that it will not compromise my position and that I will not suffer prejudice and discrimination as a result?

  2. Dan Reply
    September 29, 2021 at 11:22 am

    ‘proof of natural immunity’

    apparently the APA gets their medical advice from Fox News. great.

    • Stormy Reply
      October 11, 2021 at 11:16 pm

      Yes. It is great. Because that’s the truth – acquired immunity from having Covid is the best immunity there is. The Jab lasts about 6 months – and it does NOT prevent you from spreading it or getting it. But if you already had Covid your chances of getting it again are almost zero. When Fauci was asked about it – he said he didn’t know. He’s the CDC director – or whatever he is – in charge of dealing with the pandemic for over a year and he does not know how long acquired immunity last? I call BS. It just doesn’t fit their agenda so he can’t tell you the truth. Just like they will not back any treatment. If there are treatments you can’t push the Jab. You have to wonder why they are pushing this? The more they push the more I mistrust it.

      • TRfigs Reply
        November 1, 2021 at 7:59 am

        Danny was counting on stupidity from you. Instead he got an earful of dreaded truth. Oh the tragedy!

  3. jabyou Reply
    September 29, 2021 at 11:31 am

    This argument is kind of lame with the United news just coming out or pilots at other airlines that have been vaccinated? What is so extra special about AA pilots? Plus, isn’t travel down bc of the Delta variant? Lol, and citing the 48 hr rule is also lame. It’s not like pilots fly for days and days. Also with different countries having vax requirements, are they going to get exemptions or just fly domestically? I understand the medical exemption people, but the others are full of baloomey. Quit yer job if you don’t want to vaxxed.

    • Rtfenwick Reply
      November 1, 2021 at 8:10 am

      So someone who has had Covid, with natural immunity proven to be many times better than the short term Vax, is still required to take a shot with thousands upon thousands of adverse events reported on the VAERS data system which by admission only accounts for a small percentage of the actual adverse events?

      And a shot for a virus that is not even around much anymore, only the variants, And for a virus that kills only a very small percentage, and those are mostly people with prior health problems.

      Reasons for taking the death jab fall apart on multiple levels. The pilots are right. The mandate has nothing to do with your health from those furry people at the fda and cdc and gates and that wonderful fella facing.

  4. Debit Reply
    September 29, 2021 at 11:44 am

    Shutdown usa for 3 weeks. Infect everyone with covid. A lot will die, most will survive, all living will have gotten immunity.

    Only vaccinated get highest priority for medical services going forward. Unvaccinated stay home to die or research online to get better.

    Usa can move on in one month, just as a superpower should be able to.

    • Stormy Reply
      October 11, 2021 at 11:06 pm

      Infect everyone with Covid? You’re a nut job! I so glad you’re not in charge – although Biden ain’t doing much better.

  5. Alan Brint Reply
    September 29, 2021 at 11:53 am

    Why don’t you start a diaper drive for these pilots, Matthew? Or a baby bottle drive? Aw poor baby whining about taking a shot because you believe in the good lord Jesus Christ and believe that Jesus will save you and protect you from all evil, or because you’re scared of the big bad needle? I’ll be happy to pay for their pain relief medication, after all I would pay for that for my own children if I had any, I’m sorry that their mommies can’t afford to help them heal properly.

    For gods sake, pilots, grow the (insert nasty word that would be filtered out) up. I have had it with you antivaxxers. I am so completely done with you. Write all the hate mail you want, my name is Alan Brint, I have nothing to hide, you can trash me on the internet and I have no hard feelings. Where I have hard feelings with you is that you don’t take your shot. I have zero sympathy for you and think that you don’t deserve anything from our society. If you get sick, please don’t go to the hospital, you can stay home and leave the hospital bed open for someone who really needs it, and has earned it.

    Speaking to you directly, strike. I don’t care. American, don’t try to stop this strike. I’d love for our society to hear the whining, crying, and yells for their mommies during this time. We’ll arrive late to our destination, and we’ll be very happy flying on a pilot captained by someone who doesn’t cry like a little baby over a poor needle.

    • RTDenwood Reply
      November 1, 2021 at 8:22 am

      And yet the rant has no facts. Let’s discuss the thousands of adverse events of the jab on the VAERS system which by admission only accounts for a small percentage of the actual harm. Or the fact that natural immunity has many, many more times the immunity than the short term vax. Or the fact that the vax is for a virus that is almost gone with the variants predominant. Or the fact the chances of dying are very small and get really small if you are healthy. Or the fact some of the ingredients are redacted from Pfizer.

      Blind loyalty to tyrants is dangerous.

  6. Dave Edwards Reply
    September 29, 2021 at 11:58 am

    Those 3 pilots look like something that would excite TPG.

    And can someone explain to me why the vaccinated are still concerned about the unvaccinated? Still ZERO proof that the vaccinated aren’t spreading it as well as the unvaccinated.

    • UA-NYC Reply
      September 29, 2021 at 1:50 pm

      This may not play well in The Villages/Newsmax crowd – but educate yourself at least

      https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2021/09/the-vaccinated-arent-just-as-likely-to-spread-covid/620161/

      • Dave Edwards Reply
        September 29, 2021 at 7:05 pm

        Biased leftist quack. Love how you dig to find stories that match your narrative. Still no clue why you care if unvaccinated die if you’re not at risk? F em if they don’t fall in line with your feelings and life choices. Sounds like UA is afraid of his own shadow, or has some underlying conditions he doesn’t want to discuss, which is certainly his right. But it also leaves others to determine if these “underlying conditions” came from trips to 3rd world countries or those famous NYC bathhouses where men are free to be themselves.

    • Kevin M Reply
      September 29, 2021 at 6:30 pm

      Save the snide gay bashing comments for chats with your pal Putin.

      What a nasty guy you are. I’ll pray for your wife (and boyfriend).

      • Dave Edwards Reply
        September 29, 2021 at 6:57 pm

        Hey, I could have said they looked good to Summer Hull, but they were the wrong ethnicity. So I took the obvious thing we ALL were thinking.

        • UA-NYC Reply
          September 30, 2021 at 3:46 am

          What a sick fck you are. Way to slander another blogger.

          • Dave Edwards
            September 30, 2021 at 8:27 am

            Perhaps you should do some research on some of the discriminatory things this “blogger” has written about people she doesn’t politically agree with. Certainly her right, but being a blogger doesn’t remove you from criticism for what you right. Without this type feedback Twitter wouldn’t exist, maybe you believe that would be a good thing?

    • 747always Reply
      September 29, 2021 at 11:19 pm

      Ugh. Tired anti vax talkijng points with no basis in reality. I sense a future Herman cain awardee

    • Der Fliegende Amerikaner Reply
      September 30, 2021 at 12:26 am

      I’m confused to why you would think these 3 pilots look like something that would excite TPG. What is about this photo that makes you think these pilots are gay and are looking for a good time?

  7. miamiorbust Reply
    September 29, 2021 at 12:22 pm

    You do understand these disputes are always about union work rules….treat counter parties with respect and no-drama solutions can be found. If you don’t, there will be trouble. Is anyone surprised this is coming from AA’s dysfunctional web on relationships? On the merits, I couldn’t care less if a pilot is vaccinated. Just fly the plane and treat members of the crew with respect. That type of leadership flows down to our experience as passengers.

  8. UA-NYC Reply
    September 29, 2021 at 1:49 pm

    Reason #47 why to stay away from AA these days. Shocked at UA positively leading the charge for a change.

    • Dave Edwards Reply
      September 29, 2021 at 7:00 pm

      As I book another AA flight today to put me over 100,000 miles by the end of year with over 85% upgrades so far this year. That’s the great thing you will never get, for everyone that you think is an ahole for their life choices, just as many feel the same about you.

      I understated that clearly, sadly you don’t. To many you are pure human garbage, these are the people you feel the same about. See how that works.

      In the end, AA and UA will both be fine. Grow up with your petty airline feuds trying to change others minds.

  9. DC K Reply
    September 29, 2021 at 3:06 pm

    The worst commercial industry disruption happened on Aug. 5, 1981, when President Reagan fired over 11,000 air traffic controllers for participating in a strike in violation of a return-to-work order. I’m not discussing the merits of that order or the ensuing strike, only that the APA legal team had better take a good look at how successful that strike was and the lack of support the controllers received from the public.

    To me it appears that whatever percentage of American Airlines pilots are not vaccinated, that they are in a far weaker bargaining position.

  10. William Reply
    September 29, 2021 at 3:08 pm

    As a white cis male, I refuse to get the vaccine while there is not equitable distribution and underrepresented communities and POCs do not have wide access to it.

  11. Kevin Reply
    September 29, 2021 at 4:43 pm

    @DC K

    Totally different scenario this time. Reagan was able to bring in Retired and Military air traffic controllers (back when we had a lot more Military air bases) to smooth out that initial shock to the system. Absolutely no way to do that with pilots. Hell, American is canceling hundreds of flights a day because they chose to spend their Government bailout money on anything that wasn’t related to keeping their current pilots current and in the air.

  12. JoEllen Reply
    September 29, 2021 at 6:10 pm

    What is it with these airline pilots and other airline employees who think they are so “above it” and almost take these stands to bring attention to their “godship” and ability to call all the shots. I hope they don’t think that all of the unwashed masses think they are right. Basically just another selfish form of “look at me in my 24/7 powerful, shiny existence”.

  13. William J Belmonte Jr Reply
    September 29, 2021 at 8:58 pm

    DON’T PUT ALL AIRLINE EMPLOYEES IN THE SAME BOAT.

  14. Jill Reply
    September 30, 2021 at 12:34 am

    Matthew Klint
    I would personally stick with United then

  15. Jimmy Reply
    September 30, 2021 at 2:29 am

    Why are the vaccinated so angry and scared. You’re protected. Go home and be happy.

  16. vasukiv Reply
    September 30, 2021 at 2:37 pm

    This makes me feel good about my decision to switch to United from American earlier this year.

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