Allied Pilots Association President Nick Silva (left) and spokesman Dennis Tajer met with analysts in New York last week.

Conor Clark Allied Pilots Association

The president of American Airlines’ pilots union has suggested that activist investors may be pursuing the airline, and that the carrier’s 16,000 pilots would approve.

In a letter Monday to the 16,000 American pilots, Allied Pilots Association Nick Silva wrote “My phone rings every day with calls from people who are interested in hearing the thoughts and opinions of American’s pilots. However, the calls are not coming from American’s board of directors or C-Suite”

Silva said American management calls also.

“Of late, AA management has been reaching out to APA more, but the main purpose is to inquire if anyone is trying to ‘get APA pilots on board with an alternative plan for the airline.’ That answer is ‘Yes,’” he wrote.

“It is my hope that all strategic alternatives that could propel our airline forward will receive fulsome reviews from American senior management versus a quick defensive dismissal,” Silva wrote.

APA spokesman Dennis Tajer said Tuesday morning that “strategic alternatives” could include the merger with United Airlines that United CEO Scott Kirby has proposed, or they “could involve people with new ideas and new plans for American.” Such people, he said, could be “stakeholders or investors who want to see a better path.” He declined to identify whom that might be.

Silva offered support for United CEO Scott Kirby’s efforts to pursue a merger with American – an effort that American has firmly and publicly rebuffed.

He noted that last week, in a United press release, Kirby described “why he believes such a merger would be transformative for both airlines and how it could withstand regulatory scrutiny. He articulated a bold vision for the future of air travel.”

Silva said he met with sell-side analysts in New York last week. “As I repeatedly heard in New York last week, American continues to fail to reach its full potential as an airline and a business – or worse perhaps, we have reached our potential, and this, is as good as it gets,” Silva said. “Either option is unacceptable for our pilots, and it’s clear that it will take bold ideas and real leadership to restore American to a true place of prominence among global airlines.”

American declined to comment on Tuesday. American shares closed the day at $12.37, up about 5%. Delta was up 3% while United was up 4%.