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takyon writes:

A glitch in American Airlines Group's scheduling system has given too many pilots time off during the busy holiday season in mid-late December. The airline may be forced to pay pilots more to show up:

American Airlines Group Inc. is rushing to resolve a scheduling fault that gave time off to too many pilots in December -- a flaw that has left more than 15,000 flights without sufficient crew during the holiday rush, according to a union for the carrier's pilots.

The Allied Pilots Association estimated the number of affected flights, from Dec. 17 to Dec. 31, based on information provided by the carrier, said Dennis Tajer, a spokesman for the union. American spokesman Matt Miller declined to quantify the potential number of flights involved, saying the airline expects to correct the problem in time to prevent service disruptions.

"We are working diligently to address the issue and expect to avoid cancellations this holiday season," Miller said. The number of flights involved will decline each day as the carrier reassigns them, he said.

The computer-system problem will force American to rebuild its staffing schedule, similar to what airlines must do after major weather disruptions, said John Cox, chief executive officer of consultant Safety Operating Systems and a former commercial airline pilot. Revenue will take a hit if American has to scrub many flights. At a minimum, the carrier is likely to face higher labor costs just as investors are stepping up scrutiny of airline expenses.

Also at Wired and Reuters.

Original Submission