MEMPHIS, Tenn.— As retailers brace for another record-setting Cyber Monday—projected to surpass $14 billion in online sales—FedEx Express pilots are signaling serious operational concerns that could impact the company’s ability to meet peak-season service demands.
For more than a year, FedEx has been engaged in an aggressive cost-optimization and network-restructuring effort. Pilots say the effects of those decisions are now being felt across the air operations system. “We have long warned about the devastating effects of pairing optimization,” said Master Executive Council chair Capt. Jose Nieves. “Multiple times over many months, we highlighted how schedule manipulation, unbalanced schedules, and the impact of lean operations have led to an unprecedented number of revisions, extensions, and disruptions to what was once a stable, reliable air operations network.”
The challenges discussed above have been compounded by the grounding of all MD-11 aircraft following the UPS Flight 2976 accident. Together, these factors are placing significant pressure on FedEx pilot schedules and FedEx’s peak-season capacity.
The company has announced a system bid amid these constraints. The Association remains focused on measures intended to stabilize operations and continues to press for a labor agreement that provides the alignment FedEx operations require.
“FedEx pilots remain committed to delivering for customers during the busiest shipping period of the year,” Nieves said. “We look forward to resolving ongoing labor challenges to reaffirm our long-term partnership, which is required to ensure a reliable and resilient network.”
Founded in 1931, ALPA is the world’s largest pilot union, representing more than 80,000 pilots at 43 airlines in the United States and Canada. Visit the ALPA website at alpa.orgor follow us on Twitter @ALPAPilots.
