By 1994, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), American Airlines (AAL), and the Allied Pilots Association (APA) had done something unprecedented. Together, they created a joint task force called the Aviation Safety Action Partnership (ASAP). The purpose of this association was to prioritize airline safety. (An agreement is necessary that all frequent travelers would agree to!)

The task force worked because it enabled AAL pilots to report safety-related incidents to ASAP without fear of punishment or retaliation (i.e. firing or disciplinary action) from AAL administration or the FAA. So, basically, pilots could report bugs, even their own, without fear of losing their jobs.

However, recently, this important cooperation between these three groups has been sadly suspended due to disputes between the groups. Unions feared that pilots would not be protected if they reported problems. AAL wanted to know which pilots caused problems so that it could initiate disciplinary action against the pilots if warranted. So, with the APA and the AAL administration at a standstill, this important program was allowed to expire in October 2008 with what appeared to have no hope of moving forward.

But there seems to be some indication that reconciliation may be possible. After seemingly endless months of negotiations on the protection of the pilots and the drafting of the proposal as a whole, the new agreement now has the support of AAL and APA. This new agreement protects whistleblowers from being disciplined for cases that are accepted under the program. If this program moves forward, airline safety will finally come to the fore again.

The new ASAP program agreement still needs FAA approval. Stay tuned to www.FlyHub.com for the latest developments in the ASAP program.