American Airlines, Pilots Clash Over Alaska’s Boeing 787 Routes

American Airlines is facing a growing dispute with its pilots’ union over plans to codeshare on new long-haul international routes operated by Alaska Airlines using Boeing 787 aircraft inherited from its merger with Hawaiian Airlines. The Allied Pilots Association (APA), which represents 16,000 American Airlines pilots, says the move would violate the scope clause of their labor contract and undermine the jobs of American’s own pilots.

Pilots Say Contract Is Being Ignored

In a letter to members on Monday, APA President Nick Silva said American Airlines management “revealed plans to ignore our contract” by planning to place its code on Alaska Airlines’ upcoming European routes, and potentially on trans-Pacific services, without allowing American pilots to operate the flights.

At the heart of the dispute is the scope clause — a key section of the APA contract that specifies which flights must be performed by American Airlines pilots. While the contract allows domestic codeshares with Alaska, it explicitly bars international codeshares. Silva accused management of stretching the rules to shift lucrative widebody flying away from American’s crews.

“Why is this so harmful to the pilots of American Airlines?” Silva wrote. “The introduction of American’s code onto Alaska Airlines’ international network will provide another way for the airline to farm out widebody flying to others — flying that our pilots could and should be performing.”

Alaska’s Expansion With Hawaiian’s 787 Fleet

Alaska Airlines, which completed its $1.9 billion acquisition of Hawaiian Airlines in September 2024, now controls four Boeing 787 Dreamliners — the first widebody jets in its fleet — with more than a dozen additional aircraft on order. Last week, Alaska announced that 787 flights to London will begin in spring 2026, alongside other planned European destinations.

Silva said APA’s scope committee has been monitoring Alaska’s long-haul growth closely, especially as the airline looks to expand beyond Europe into Asia. He emphasized that the widebody aircraft Alaska plans to use all originated from Hawaiian, making them subject to Hawaiian’s codeshare restrictions under the APA contract.

Wider Alliance Implications

American Airlines has historically struggled to compete with United and Delta on trans-Pacific routes, relying heavily on its joint venture with Japan Airlines (JAL) for Asian connectivity. The partnership, which enjoys antitrust immunity, allows the carriers to coordinate on schedules and pricing.

In March, a JAL executive indicated the airline was considering whether to allow Alaska to join the alliance, potentially adding further complexity to the issue. Such a move would strengthen Alaska’s position in the Pacific, but American pilots fear it could come at the expense of their own flying opportunities.

Union Response and Grievances

APA has already filed two grievances over the codeshare dispute. The first, challenging the Alaska codeshare expansion, is set to be heard by an arbitrator in late October. A second grievance challenges the use of Hawaiian’s widebody aircraft by Alaska for international flying under American’s code, though no hearing date has been set.

Union leaders say the company’s strategy represents a serious breach of trust. “Scope is a religious issue to pilots,” said APA spokesman Dennis Tajer. “It’s about our current and future jobs that our families count on. Few issues unite our pilots more strongly than protecting scope.”

Silva argued that instead of investing in its own international flying, American management is outsourcing growth. “The widebody flying belongs to our pilots,” he told members, warning that ceding it to Alaska would erode long-term opportunities for the workforce.

American Airlines Stays Silent

American Airlines did not respond to requests for comment on August 14. The airline has not publicly addressed the union’s accusations, leaving the dispute to play out in grievance proceedings.

With Alaska preparing to launch 787 flights to London and beyond in 2026, the standoff highlights growing tension between American management’s network ambitions and the APA’s determination to enforce its contract. The outcome could shape not only the scope of American’s codeshare strategy but also the future role of Alaska Airlines in trans-Atlantic and trans-Pacific competition.

Sources: AirGuide Business airguide.info, bing.com, forbes.com