Allied Pilots Association Expresses Support for Age 60 Rule; Union President Testifies Before U.S. Senate Subcommittee on Aviation.

FORT WORTH, Texas -- The Allied Pilots Association (APA), collective bargaining agent for the 13,000 pilots of American Airlines (NYSE:AMR), reiterated its support for maintaining mandatory retirement at age 60 for the nation's commercial pilots as Congress considers legislation that would raise the age.

"Throughout the entire 46-year history of the Federal Aviation Administration's Age 60 Rule, not one single airline accident has been attributed to the sudden or subtle effects of aging," said Captain Ralph Hunter, APA President. "By any measure, mandatory retirement at age 60 has proven successful."

Hunter testified today before the U.S. Senate Subcommittee on Aviation, which convened a hearing on the topic of pilot retirement age. Other witnesses included Captain Duane Woerth, President of the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA), which represents approximately 64,000 commercial pilots in the U.S. and Canada. ALPA also supports maintaining the Age 60 Rule.

"Why would we even want to consider taking a chance with public safety by experimenting with pilot retirement age? The risks of sudden or subtle incapacitation rise significantly beyond age 60," said Hunter.

While acknowledging that many Americans lead healthier lives than ever before into their sixties and beyond, Hunter pointed out that there is still no definitive way to determine which pilots would be safe to fly past age 60, despite tremendous advances in medical technology.

He also noted that many supporters of an increase in pilot retirement age are doing so for economic reasons.

"While I am certainly familiar with and sympathetic to the financial difficulties airline employees have experienced during the prolonged industry downturn, public safety must always come first.

"If we were to experiment with a higher retirement age, at some point we would find out how old is too old--and I don't think anyone wants to be on that particular flight," said Hunter.

Although some supporters of an increase in pilot retirement age cite the Age 60 Rule as discriminatory, the U.S. Court of Appeals ruled in 1997 that age is a "bona fide occupational qualification" for commercial pilots, acknowledging that the regulation is intended to help ensure public safety. The U.S. Supreme Court affirmed that ruling earlier this year. Other safety-sensitive occupations such as firefighters and air traffic controllers also have mandatory retirement ages.

Hunter noted that the FAA itself does not advocate changing the Age 60 Rule.

Founded in 1963, APA is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas. There are currently 2,890 American Airlines pilots on furlough. The furloughs began shortly after the September 11, 2001 attacks. Also, several hundred American Airlines pilots are on full-time military leave of absence serving in the armed forces. The union's Web site address is www.alliedpilots.org

American Airlines is the nation's largest passenger carrier.