USAPA Calls For Termination Of Us Airways Vice President Of
Safety And Regulatory Compliance Paul Morell
USAPA is getting vocal about the US Airways' management after
what it says are numerous recent lapses in safety
protocols at the airline. The Board of Pilot Representatives
of the US Airline Pilots Association (USAPA), which represents the
airline's pilots, has unanimously called for the immediate
termination of the ranking official in charge of airline safety,
Vice President of Safety and Regulatory Compliance Paul Morell.
"Mr. Morell has repeatedly ignored USAPA’s concerns about
the safety of our airline and has shown no leadership in remedying
potentially catastrophic situations that face our pilots," said
Captain Mike Cleary, president of USAPA. "As such, we have asked
the Company’s leadership and the Board of Directors to act
quickly and decisively to terminate his employment at US
Airways."
In its communications with the US Airways directors, USAPA cited
17 specific issues to support its opinion that Morell is derelict
in his duties to protect the pilots and passengers of US
Airways.
"Mr. Morell has ignored or actively dismissed safety
recommendations from pilots, despite the fact that the pilots are
on the front line and dealing with these issues on a daily basis,"
added Captain Cleary. “USAPA has reached out to Mr. Morell
time and time again, requesting his input and guidance about how to
alleviate the many safety issues that face our pilots. At best, we
have received a dismissive or tepid response; at worst, complete
silence. Our efforts to engage CEO Doug Parker and the Board of
Directors on this issue have also gone unanswered, clearly
demonstrating that they do not share USAPA’s priority of
putting safety above all else. Not one of the 17 specific issues we
brought to the CEO and Board has been acted upon or even responded
to.”
"Additionally US Airways' management refused to participate in
an external evaluation performed by renowned safety expert Dr.
Terry von Thaden, who has performed more than 200 similar
evaluations and has never, prior to now, had an air carrier refuse
to participate in an evaluation," Captain Cleary continued. "Her
results – which indicated safety culture problems throughout
US Airways – were dismissed out-of-hand by the Company."
Dr. Sidney Dekker, also a well-respected safety expert who
reviewed the results of the evaluation at USAPA's request, noted
that, “Most worrying is the extent of the dismissal of the
safety culture survey and the suggestion that management has the
safety problem pretty much under control.”
USAPA Safety Chairman Tom Kubik concurs. “Through the
safety work conducted by Dr. von Thaden’s team, our pilots
voiced their concern about everything from forced on-time
departures to cost-cutting measures that erode the safety of our
aircraft – and the Company turned a deaf ear to everything we
said,” said Captain Kubik. “Mr. Morell’s
responsibility is to the pilots who work at US Airways and the
passengers who fly with us, and he has repeatedly demonstrated that
he is no longer able to fulfill this duty.”
In an attempt to remedy these problems and bring additional
attention to the safety infractions occurring on his watch, USAPA
has called for the immediate termination of Paul Morell. Any other
action by the Company will be viewed by USAPA as insufficient and a
direct threat to the safety of the pilots and passengers on US
Airways.
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