January 24, 2014 - Back in May 2002, a group of ex-TWA pilots had filed a lawsuit alleging their pilots union, Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) failed in their duties to properly represent them during the American Airlines’ 2001 acquisition of TWA assets which resulted in a number of the TWA pilot being placed at the bottom of American Airlines pilot seniority list and being laid off. 

In 2001, American Airlines purchased the assets of TWA which included its aircraft, routes and unionized employees at which time American Airlines’ and its pilot’s union Allied Pilots Association (APA) added a supplement to its collective bargaining agreement ‘Supplement CC’ which in essence placed the TWA pilots’ on the bottom American Airlines pilot seniority list. After 911, many of these pilots were laid off. 

The TWA pilots alleged their union, Air Line Pilots Association failed to properly represent them during those negotiations with American Airlines’ pilot union Allied Pilots Association.

“The factual issues in this case are whether the member of this Class are being fairly represented by APA in its contract negotiations with American, and whether American is implicated in or colluded with APA in its failure to fairly represent those American pilots who were former TWA pilots,” the lawsuit alleged.