American Airlines Pilots OK Accord

AMR Corp.’s American Airlines pilots union approved an agreement with the largest carrier on combining operations with those of Trans World Airlines Inc.

The Allied Pilots Assn. board Tuesday endorsed the plan, which protects pilots at American as of April 10 from being furloughed as a result of the TWA acquisition and restores seniority for about 600 American pilots laid off in the 1990s, the union said on its Web site. The agreement doesn’t require a vote by the union’s 11,000 members.

The agreement, reached with American in May after Fort Worth-based AMR bought TWA for $2.8 billion the previous month, protects all American and TWA pilots from furlough until the two groups are integrated and requires that early-retirement benefits be offered to pilots furloughed after the combination is finished. It also raises the number of captain jobs at American through Jan. 1, 2005.

The Allied Pilots Assn. still must create and implement a method of integrating TWA pilots into American’s seniority list.

AMR shares rose 62 cents to close at $36.45 on the NYSE.