American Airlines Pilots Union Raises Alarm Over Safety Issues from Maintenance Pressures

American Airlines pilots union warns of "significant spike" in safety issues like tools left in wheel wells and collisions between aircraft being towed
Union says pilots face pressure to return planes to service quickly to maintain on-time performance due to lack of spare parts
Hammer, pliers, and screwdriver were found in the wheel well of one plane before takeoff in March
American Airlines says safety is a "shared mission" and it has an industry-leading safety management system
Union safety committee tells pilots not to rush or feel pressured to do something unsafe even if it's legal