A glitch in a scheduling platform used by American Airlines pilots allowed thousands of them to drop flights, leaving 12,000 services in July without a captain, a first officer, or both.

It’s normal for pilots to be able to drop or pick up flights, but the glitch offered unusual opportunities for time off in an extremely busy period, as summer schedules peak and demand bounces back following two years of Covid-19 disruptions.

News of the error came from the Allied Pilots Association (APA), the union for American Airlines pilots, which released a statement on its website on 2 July.

“Once again, AA’s operational mismanagement is at the heart of an issue that will soon go public,” the statement read.

In response, the airline said: “As a result of this technical glitch, certain trip trading transactions were able to be processed when it shouldn’t have been permitted.

“We already have restored the vast majority of the affected trips and do not anticipate any operational impact because of this issue.”

American Airlines is currently in the midst of contract negotiations with the APA and has recently offered pilots a raise of nearly 17 per cent over the next two years. United Airlines has just reached a tentative agreement with the APA over salaries for pilots, which will go up by 14 per cent over 18 months.

Industrial action has seen pilots employed by Delta Airlines, Southwest Airlines and FedEx take to picket lines across the United States in recent weeks, protesting over pay rates, benefits and scheduling.

An American pilot has claimed US flights are not safe for passengers as there is an “inhumane level” of pressure on pilots amid an intensifying nationwide pilot shortage.

American flyers need to be “concerned” about their safety because “there is a problem here”, warned Dennis Tajer, a spokesperson for the APA.

European airlines are facing similar challenges, with walk outs by hundreds of SAS pilots this week affecting around 30,000 passengers each day.

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