July 12--US Airways is proposing a reduced pay rate for new pilots at American Eagle as part of discussions between the airlines.
A union letter to Eagle pilots said US Airways is not looking for additional cost concessions from existing pilots once it merges with Eagle's parent company, AMR Corp. But it wants to freeze a pilot's pay if the pilot chooses not to move into an American Airlines position in the future.
Most concessions would fall to new pilots who would be technically hired by American Airlines but work at Eagle. Those hires would also be able to move to the mainline carrier like the rest of the Eagle pilots in the seniority order, Tony Gutierrez, the Eagle union leader at the Air Line Pilots Association, said in the letter.
"US Airways indicated that without this deal, they would place the new aircraft at another carrier with lower costs," Gutierrez wrote.
Before it filed for bankruptcy, AMR discussed selling or divesting the regional carrier, but those plans were put on hold. AMR plans to merge with US Airways by the end of the year. Doug Parker, who will be the CEO of the combined company, has said he has made no decisions about Eagle's future.
US Airways declined to comment on the discussions with the Air Line Pilots Association.
Andrea Ahles, 817-390-7631 Twitter: @Sky_Talk
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