Union: US Airways forcing pilots to fly unsafe planes

PHOENIX - Pilots at US Airways are alleging they're been forced to fly unsafe planes.

The pilots' union, the US Airline Pilots Association, went to great lengths to alert passengers of their concerns by taking out a full page ad in USA Today.

The advertisement references an incident last month in Philadelphia.

The US Airways pilots' union alleges a captain with 30 years experience refused to fly a plane she claims had electrical problems.

The union contends, in response, US Airways security escorted her out of the airport and threatened to arrest her crew.

"It was the right decision," said Captain James Ray, spokesman for the US Airline Pilots Association. "The airplane was not safe to fly and yet we have a culture here that tried to reprimand her and tried to force her to fly the plane."

Read more about the allegations from the pilots' union

Ray alleges incidents like the one in Philadelphia have become commonplace at US Airways where management in Tempe routinely second guesses the safety judgment of its pilots.

"It seems at US Airways, while they say safety is their No. 1 concern, and I hope that it is, sometimes it appears economics and on-air performance supersedes that," Ray said.

US Airways wasted little time to respond.

The airline issued a letter to employees saying "...the union's claims are outlandish, false and a disservice to the 32,000 hard-working employees of US Airways."

Read the full letter to employees

US Airways also issued a follow-up statement, citing a response to the incident from the Federal Aviation Administration. Read the full statement

Several passengers at Sky Harbor International Airport told ABC15 on Tuesday they sided with the airline.

"I don't think they'd send us in the air if it wasn't safe," said one unidentified passenger.

"I wonder where they are in their contract," asked John Huff of Prescott. "Still negotiating? So is this part of that?"

But other passengers had real concerns over the union's allegations, some saying they believe the pilots not the airline.

"I believe it," said Bryce Johnson of Gilbert. "I think you do things in the name of business, so I could see that happening."

"I definitely won't fly US Airways again," said Brittany Judge of Grand Junction, Colo.