Pilot fired for refusing flight awarded $2M
12-26-2021, 07:18 PM
#1
Gets Weekends Off
Thread Starter
Joined APC: Dec 2017
Position: Retired NJA & AA
Posts: 1,918
Pilot fired for refusing flight awarded $2M
https://www.avweb.com/aviation-news/...ded-2-million/
Corporate Pilot refused a flight to Saint Martin right after Cat 4 Irma had hit, he said the weather still wasn't safe. He said he'd keep checking the wx and let them know when it was safe. His company hired another pilot to fly the trip that night and then fired the original pilot and sued him for $20K in training cost. He counter sued and got $2M.
It'll be interesting to see if the employer appeals the verdict. Rare to see a win for safety.
I flew a NetJet's Hawker 400XP into ATL to show it to a prospective customer. The sales rep's airline was delayed so it fell to us to answer his questions while we waited. When he asked why he should pay more for NetJets than what other's charged one of the answers I gave him was "because we can say "No" to you if we have a good reason".
Corporate Pilot refused a flight to Saint Martin right after Cat 4 Irma had hit, he said the weather still wasn't safe. He said he'd keep checking the wx and let them know when it was safe. His company hired another pilot to fly the trip that night and then fired the original pilot and sued him for $20K in training cost. He counter sued and got $2M.
It'll be interesting to see if the employer appeals the verdict. Rare to see a win for safety.
I flew a NetJet's Hawker 400XP into ATL to show it to a prospective customer. The sales rep's airline was delayed so it fell to us to answer his questions while we waited. When he asked why he should pay more for NetJets than what other's charged one of the answers I gave him was "because we can say "No" to you if we have a good reason".
12-26-2021, 08:37 PM
#2
Disinterested Third Party
Joined APC: Jun 2012
Posts: 6,021
I flew for a fractional. Faced with severe weather and a trip to Nassau to pick up a passenger, I left the hotel with driving horizontal rain so strong I could hardly keep the rental on the road. I told the F/O to stay at the hotel . I drove to the FBO, and after determining that the weather wasn't going to cooperate, notified the Chief Pilot. The Chief Pilot, in turn, advised me that if I didn't make the trip, I'd be fired, and that I'd better have some strong evidence proving my case. He called me every 20 minutes for the next six hours, demanding I fly. I printed the weather each time he called, and had a thick folder by the time I was done.
On another occasion, I was assigned a flight across the Gulf of Mexico. I advised I'd need fuel for a deviation far north. I was asked why, and pointed out that Hurricane Katrina was about to make landfall. I was told that the company was unaware of any hurricane, and that I would be expected to make the flight as assigned. I refused, and was told I'd be fired if I didn't take the trip.
Those weren't isolated incidents.
On another occasion, I was assigned a flight across the Gulf of Mexico. I advised I'd need fuel for a deviation far north. I was asked why, and pointed out that Hurricane Katrina was about to make landfall. I was told that the company was unaware of any hurricane, and that I would be expected to make the flight as assigned. I refused, and was told I'd be fired if I didn't take the trip.
Those weren't isolated incidents.
12-29-2021, 03:59 PM
#3
New Hire
Joined APC: Aug 2019
Posts: 1
This seems like a great win for safety. It's strange that the article claims they were able to hire another pilot to make the same trip, the same day? That sounds fishy to me... it makes it sound like the operator found a contract pilot on extremely short notice to fly into the tail end of a hurricane? Who was that guy? The longer term question is what impact this makes for employment contracts in the corporate realm. It's not unusual that operators want to recover training costs, but will the contracts now ask pilots to waive any rights to sue? I'm a pilot, not a lawyer - so I don't know how much precedent this creates?
12-30-2021, 03:25 PM
#4
Speed, Power, Accuracy
Joined APC: Sep 2007
Position: PIC
Posts: 1,701
Originally Posted by AirBear
https://www.avweb.com/aviation-news/...ded-2-million/
Corporate Pilot refused a flight to Saint Martin right after Cat 4 Irma had hit, he said the weather still wasn't safe. He said he'd keep checking the wx and let them know when it was safe. His company hired another pilot to fly the trip that night and then fired the original pilot and sued him for $20K in training cost. He counter sued and got $2M.
It'll be interesting to see if the employer appeals the verdict. Rare to see a win for safety.
I flew a NetJet's Hawker 400XP into ATL to show it to a prospective customer. The sales rep's airline was delayed so it fell to us to answer his questions while we waited. When he asked why he should pay more for NetJets than what other's charged one of the answers I gave him was "because we can say "No" to you if we have a good reason".
Corporate Pilot refused a flight to Saint Martin right after Cat 4 Irma had hit, he said the weather still wasn't safe. He said he'd keep checking the wx and let them know when it was safe. His company hired another pilot to fly the trip that night and then fired the original pilot and sued him for $20K in training cost. He counter sued and got $2M.
It'll be interesting to see if the employer appeals the verdict. Rare to see a win for safety.
I flew a NetJet's Hawker 400XP into ATL to show it to a prospective customer. The sales rep's airline was delayed so it fell to us to answer his questions while we waited. When he asked why he should pay more for NetJets than what other's charged one of the answers I gave him was "because we can say "No" to you if we have a good reason".
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
