This incident happened in April 2024 and it isn't something that I have seen happen myself but I am wondering if it is actually commonplace for a pilot to refuse to fly an aircraft and what would be the penalty for that pilot, if any, for actually refusing to fly?
The flight had already been delayed from LAX to Hawaii in April 2024. The pilot then used the PA system to relay his thoughts and ultimately his decision not to fly the aircraft due to a technical issue that American Airlines had informed him would be OK to fly and that part(s) would be replaced once back in LAX. This pilot essentially expressed his gut feeling that the aircraft was troubling him and that the assurances he had received from AA did not make him comfortable.
This was filmed onboard at the time, with the pilot's announcement
Speaking personally I am with the pilot 100%, if he is nervous or uncomfortable despite assurances from the company that the aircraft was serviceable then he was absolutely right to refuse the aircraft, I would like to hope that most pax and crew would feel the same way. The old addage of better safe than sorry. The fact that he spoke out and informed the pax that he was unhappy with the aircraft was refreshingly honest and not something I have heard of before.
What would the potential penalties be for a pilot in this sort of situation, would the company take a dim view of it or would they back him or her 100%?
To the pilots here, have you ever found yourself in this sort of situation, or indeed actually done the same as this pilot, and decided not to fly a specific aircraft due to unease or discomfort knowing something was not right?