American Airlines is tripling pilots' pay after a scheduling glitch left thousands of flights without pilots

American Airlines has agreed to pay its pilots triple their normal rate after a computer scheduling glitch left thousands of flights with understaffed cockpits.

The malfunction in the scheduling program occurred early Saturday morning and allowed pilots to drop flights the airline was counting on them to fly throughout the rest of this month in order to take time off. The number of flights left without one or both required pilots quickly soared past the 12,000 mark, according to the Allied Pilots Association, the pilots union at American, which employs roughly 13,000 APA members.

Although the triple pay is a one-time windfall for American's pilots, the airline has also agreed to permanent double-time pay for pilots who fly on peak days, which often fall during holiday travel periods.