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Pilots minimize cost to AA
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April 13, 1999: 12:49 a.m. ET
Union's experts tell judge sickout cost much less than American Air has said
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DALLAS (CNN) -- Expert witnesses for the pilots union that staged a sickout at American Airlines estimated Monday the job action cost the airline far less than the company claims.
Two experts said they estimated that the company's estimated loss was between $1.4 million and $2.7 million.
A spokeswoman for American said the airline will vigorously dispute the claim when the hearing resumes Thursday.
The testimony came as the Allied Pilots Union was hauled back into federal court to explain why it shouldn't have to pay tens of millions of dollars in fines over the pilot sickout in February.
American estimates about 2,500 pilots called in sick over a 10-day period, resulting in the cancellation of nearly 6,700 flights at a cost of $58.7 million in lost revenues.
Judge Joe Kendall held the union in contempt for violating his back to work order and told the union to make a $10 million dollar downpayment toward a potential fine for the three days that pilots defined his back-to-work order.
The $10 million represents approximately 25 per cent of the union's worth.
On the witness stand Monday, union experts said that damages should be limited to the 233 pilots who called in sick after the judge's order was issued.
Kendall has given no indication when he will rule on a fine.
Allied Pilots Union President Rich LaVoy told reporters following the hearing that pilots still feel very strongly about the job action but that they would not stage another sickout no matter what the outcome of the court proceeding.
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