By Adam Allington, KWMU
St. Charles, MO – American Airlines pilots upset with the carrier's management held demonstrations at Lambert St. Louis Airport on Tuesday.
American Airlines canceled thousands of flights last week amid federal safety concerns.
Similar demonstrations were held by American pilots at other major airports across the country.
The pilots blame the airline's diminished service quality on corporate mismanagement. The group says American is not employing sufficient staff.
First Officer Julio Gomez has been a pilot with American for nine years.
"It is quite obvious we don't have enough spare parts in stock," Gomez said. "When the weather is great everything runs smoothly, when we get a snag with the weather we run short on all sorts of crews."
In addition to informational pickets, the pilots have created a website, tellyourAAstory.com, to give frustrated customers a place to vent.
The airline said the demonstrations are part of a union scheme to gain leverage in contract negotiations.
Corporate spokeswoman Mary Frances Fagan said American has reached out to the pilots union for assistance to improve service, but they've declined to participate.
"Rather than choosing to join us, they have decided to politicize matters in an effort to gain leverage as part of an ongoing contract negotiation with the company," Fagan said.
American pilots also picketed outside the corporate headquarters of Anheuser Busch, one of the carrier's main corporate clients.
In 2007 American Airlines ranked last in on time arrivals, departures and cancellations.