Pilots at American Airlines elect new leaders as contract negotiations languish

Pilots at American Airlines elect leaders

FORT WORTH, Texas — Pilots at American Airlines have elected new leaders as they conduct difficult negotiations on a new labor contract.

The Allied Pilots Association said Thursday that David Bates, a Miami-based pilot, was elected president, winning 53 percent of the votes in a runoff.

Bates replaces Lloyd Hill, who did not run for re-election. Hill had been outspoken in his criticism of airline management and demanded pay raises totaling more than 50 percent over several years, which the company rejected.

American says it needs to control labor costs to be competitive with other airlines.