Acceptance of this bonus includes a two-year commitment to Envoy as a pilot. He just makes bad decisions. At American Airlines, for example, more than 7,200 of the airlines more than 15,000 pilots are set to turn 65 over the next decade. Botched a drug test for Dimwit, picked a wrong time to be @Mike Additionally, the US-based carrier hired nearly 3,500 new employees in 2021 and plans to hire 350 pilots by the end of 2021 and over 1,000 pilots and 800 flight attendants in 2022. These will be spread out across Uniteds hubs, with Newark seeing the largest rise in workforce. I've been exactly there. This is a wrongful termination type of case and the former pilot must be filly compensated for all damages including getting back his pilot license and certifications. The Atlanta-based carrier will start by adding 75 pilots who have conditional job offers in June through August and will likely increase the number of new pilots by September, John Laughter, Delta's senior vice president and chief of operations, wrote in a staff memo, which was seen by CNBC. Bias treatment of workers, no unity. Furthermore, a judge is allowing his lawsuit to proceed in order to get compensation, as he is suing both American Airlines and Eulen America, the company that performed the drug test. November 8, 2021 - Major airlines are expected to hire more than 9,000 in 2022 according to FAPA.aero. The contract worker performing the test had allegedly marked him as having refused to take the test. Hes turning 65 in January 2023, which is the retirement age for pilots. But yeah he should have stuck around and just said what's the last name why is no one talking about what's the last name you're looking for that would have cleared it up immediately but that's what happens when you contract out something that's so damn important a drug test is so important You can lose your job and career over this and they contracted out to save a buck It's a shame on American to do that You want to contract out work all the ramp out there and mechanics and all that kind of stuff fine but contracting out someone doing a drug test on someone's career no they couldn't pronounce the name right but he should have said what's the last name you're looking for He took advantage of that but Americans wrong for contracting this out in the beginning, So sad he should get all back pay he is not guilty until proven aa should have better known guy with 21 years service no bed record both aa and drug testing companies must pay up and get his license back. April 2021 - Delta Air Lines said Wednesday it will resume hiring new pilots, following other carriers in preparing for future staffing as travel demand rebounds. I think AA failed to notify the pilot properly and clearly. Simply walking past the tester was both rude and could create the appearance that, in fact, the pilot was attempting to evade or delay a test. Delta Air Lines is flying a different route. Hewitt should be reinstated with full compensation. Looking ahead, were preparing to potentially build back to 2019 levels of flying by summer 2023, he wrote. Cookies are small text files that can be used by websites to make a user's experience more efficient. Employees will be required to submit proof of vaccination to Amtraks self-service portal. To that extent, the airline will be opening up positions for roughly 120 pilots. Typical American Airlines , a company badly managed, poor communication and a work force that receives no respect from its management. Two months later, he was fired from the airline, and even had his license revoked by the FAA. How soon after did his phone ring? The union h 1981, when President Reagan fired over 11,000 air traffic controllers for participating in a strike in violation of a return-to-work order. If this were reddit, it'd be an ETA from me. I don't want someone who makes bad decision flying me around. I was Random tested 3x within a matter of months in the past. Answer (1 of 6): My airline is unionized with ALPA There are procedures for termination of employment. In August 2020, Ingram, 64, became trapped in a nightmarish scenario involving a botched attempt by an employee of a ground services. But, he didnt really win the election so our suffering is a grave injustice. The authoritarian Left is at it again. It is very likely for these reasons that the judge ruled in favor of the pilot. So even if he got his job back he couldn't work without that license. Divorced, picked a wrong person. Why it so difficult to print out the drug test order and have whoever is informing the pilot hand the documentation to the pilot or flight attendant? It could get interesting. I would counter the bluff. Even if you applied in July, you will need to apply again October 1-10 to be considered for 2022 classes. One person can do this to a pilot whether it's true or not. Eulen did not respond to emails. American Airlines sent out a defiant email to all of its U.S. employees, putting them on notice that if they do not get fully vaccinated against COVID by November 24, they will be FIRED on the spot. Take the damn rest and then use your union to investigate. A pilot with a social media following for his anti-vaccine views has gone viral for attacking his airline's mandate on employees getting the coronavirus shot. Most helpful comments ( as chosen by the OMAAT community ). This man has not been treated fairly by a company he worked for 32 years. He had just landed in Miami after working a flight. Maybe he was sick, or a family member was sick, and it cost a fortune cancer treatment, is upwards of 300k. Yes, the Captain was wronged horribly herebut he could have avoided this hell by simply probing a little and asking for clarification. The new conservative group letter helps American Airlines because if there's one thing that will burnish a company's reputation for diversity it's being attacked by opponents for trying to hard to achieve diversity. Its Dewitt, not Hewitt. How does it feel to be living under a dictatorship. He should have kept his cool about what seemed to be a mistake. Since the FAA unlawfully revoked his license, he may have a seperate claim against them for taking away his living w/o proof of any crime or policy violation. You make wild assumptions with zero info. According to his testimony, nearly 100 regional aircraft are parked at United due to the ongoing pilot shortage. What kind of life he was living? Pilot shortage forces American Airlines to cancel 303 flights over weekend: 3,000 MORE could be axed in July after pilots were fired at the start of pandemic and not enough have been rehired It's probably not the first time someone pronounces his name as David and he's probably annoyed by that. Youll receive the industry's highest compensation, unparalleled advancement opportunities, and benefits few other regionals can match. This man was a faithful employee who got the boot right as he was getting ready for retirement. My FAA incident was long before I went there. The airlines don't care about their employees now. It's probably not the first time someone pronounces his name as David and he's probably annoyed by that. "It's better to be down here wishing you were up there, rather than the other way around", they say. "I'm looking for David. August 2021 - Envoy is introducing the Pilot Retention and Bonus Program for pilots to earn up to $150,000 in retention compensation and captain bonuses. Its rather unsettling there are so few comments like this one, which nails it 100%. At least that seems like a good way to cover your rear. The rest of us have to suffer too. The fault lies with both parties. They are subject (rightly, as Ben points out) to absolute oversight for drug testing their pilots and the consequences of not doing so would be severe for the company. There's red flags all over this case, yet the union's leaders couldn't see through the paper bags they constantly are wearing over their heads! My last name is frequently garbled, despite being pronounced exactly as written, and it takes only a few seconds to ask, "did you mean XYZ?" Clearly the testing company (through their employee) bears some degree of fault for reporting this as a "refusal" rather than a paperwork mix-up. Walking off and being dismissive was not a practical decision. A UA sample has his written name and birthdate on the outside of the cup and reverified with a sheet choosing which patients are to be tested. And, yes, of course the contractor should have asked for "Firstname LASTNAME" for clarity, but a few little steps on both sides would've prevented this nightmare. With 18 domiciles, a fleet of over 450 aircraft and growing, and flying agreements with four mainline partners United, Delta, American and Alaska SkyWest offers the best quality of life for pilots. How is it that the contract employee stated the wrong name, ("David"), but was able to report the correct name as having refused the drug test? UPS hired 23 pilots in January. I would have tried to clear it up on site. Being a Dimwit in a cockpit doesn't make passengers feel safer. The employee sought to notify him to take a random drug test after a flight to Miami. The "fix" is so easy it is hard to understand how this isn't the first time this happened. A new contract between Delta and its pilots increases their pay by 34%. Opinions expressed here are the authors alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities. What is their say in the matter? Hospitals are even trying to force patients to get vaccinated. After 21 years of service he surely knew the seriousness of the situation. Given that he was upset by this misunderstanding, he scheduled tests, including a blood test, which showed he had no drugs or alcohol in his system. As of September 28, 593 employees refused to get the vaccine, according to the company. I would have tried to clear it up on site. As a DOT has not truck driver I can tell you whatever presented with a drug test request the employee requesting the test is giving a form with a typewritten name of the testy and other information which is there to verify their ID if you didn't have the form or the pilot didn't stop to look at the form and say this is not me then it can create a gray area in the As a DOT has not truck driver I can tell you whatever presented with a drug test request the employee requesting the test is giving a form with a typewritten name of the testy and other information which is there to verify their ID if you didn't have the form or the pilot didn't stop to look at the form and say this is not me then it can create a gray area in the matter of the lawsuit the pilot should have stopped ask to see the form verified it wasn't him and then moved on would have saved him a whole lot of trouble. Scares the CR** out of me. The FAA revoked my Medical license and ordered me for a drug test out of my own pocket. In the other, a judge allowed his lawsuit to proceed seeking compensation for the incident. I received a warning for this incident, even though I was clearly not on opiods! PSA Airlines Is Now Offering Pilots Up to $187,500 in Bonuses and Guaranteed Flow to American. Alleged negative voice mails are nothing more than harassment. Odds are the person pronounced Dewitt as David (we have no info on that person, may or may not have an accent) and the guy took advantage of the situation. Not saying this captain is hiding something, but maybe he was drinking & when the name thing happened he sped off to avoid being fired for coming up hot? Alleged negative voice mails are nothing An airline pilot that burned thru an alleged 401k in 2 yrs & had to sell off stock & autos to "survive"? Delta CEO Ed . He could have asked the Contractor for the full name on the requisition for the drug test. There isn't a pilot's union that's worth a Damm at America Airlines. I agree about the Union. Do I feel confident flying with someone with such poor judgement at control of the plane, definitely not. I got fired for "almost theft" I was going to steal something, but then I felt overwhelmed with guilt and panic . Additionally, Amtrak is mandating all employees to be fully vaccinated by Nov. 1. The company has a strict vaccine mandate, requiring staff to get the shot or be terminated,. All info is printed on a form with labels to place on 2 specimen cups and a signature is required. This case is just now going through court, and the pilot is finally getting some justice. Exactly, I find it highly unusual that he did not stop to confirm via employee I.D that it was not him . It would be nice if the individuals responsible were made to pay also. Do these contractors not have a box to check off if the captain isnt on the flight? He deserves compensation, especially since as a senior Captain, those are the years you make the most. Kyle Arnold is the aviation writer for The Dallas Morning News, covering airlines, air travel and the aerospace industry. Worse yet AAL managers sanctioned it wholeheartedly and aggressively. Walking off and being dismissive was not a practical decision. All trademarks, trade names, service marks, product names, company names, logos, and brands used or mentioned herein are property of their respective owners in the United States and other countries. Sorry, there's no David here." Does any employee have the duty to inquire further? As a result, Mager wrote, Ingram was grounded forever and all FAA public records of him ever having been a pilot were gone from the FAA Airmen Registry public website., This is a BETA experience. I hate these Big Companies like America who take Government money but treat the staff as non human sham on American hope he gets MILLIONS, I am glad that this man took the steps to fight for himself because a lot of big companys dont give a dam about anything or anybody else because they are making there millions , This man was a vigilant worker and spent many years as a excellent pilot with never a problem or being written up for any indiscretions and at 65 I doubt that he would start then , Blessings to you and I hope you get reimbursed every penny and more Sincerely Donna Our.