CHARLOTTE, N.C.,None — US Airways took some of its own pilots to federal court on Friday, after alleging that they are intentionally causing flights to be delayed and canceled.
Eyewitness News was in the courtroom as lawyers for the airline asked a judge to issue a temporary restraining order to force the pilots of the US Airline Pilots Association, the union based in Charlotte, to stop the alleged slowdown. The judge did not issue the restraining order but did set another hearing for Aug.19th to take the matter up again and consider a temporary injunction.
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The airline claims that the alleged slowdown is tied to ongoing contract negotiations and that at least 10 flights a day since May have been canceled because of the pilots. John McDonald, the vice president of corporate communications for US Airways, said, " We are alleging that there are a disproportionate number of maintenance write ups, that there are slow taxis going on, late notifications, those types of things."
WATCH: U.S. Airways Says Pilots Intentionally Canceling Flights
Lawyers for US Airways said they have statistical proof that the slowdown is happening, but the union said the statistics do not prove that, and there are a number of other factors that could contribute to the slowdown, including construction at Charlotte's airport and the weather.
USAPA's president, Captain Michael Cleary, said the union's pilots would never slow down service intentionally. "It's absolutely an unsubstantiated claim," Cleary said. He also said the airline has harassed and intimidated its pilots when they raise safety concerns.
The airline also said it has evidence, partly from pilots' emails, that the union is threatening those pilots who do not participate in the slowdown. Cleary said there are a number of questions regarding the authenticity of those emails. "We don't know if they're fabricated because the emails have been unauthenticated," he said.
Eyewitness News will follow both sides as they head back to court next week.
Previous Stories: July 31, 2011: US Airways Files Lawsuit Against Its Pilots July 18, 2011: Pilot's Wish To Return To Skies Granted June 23, 2011: SLIDESHOW: History Of Incidents Involving Charlotte Airport, Flights May 12, 2011: Bill Could Stall Pilot Fatigue Regulations