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☆ WestJet pay debate sets scene for Air Canada's pilots
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-18 | by ( Allison Lampert | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

MONTREAL, May 18 (Reuters) - A faceoff this week between WestJet Airlines and its pilots over pay could set the stage for aviators' demands in future bargaining with Air Canada (AC.TO). It would be the first major pilots' strike in Canada since 1998, according to a spokesperson for Canada's Labor Minister Seamus O'Regan, who is at the talks. ALPA president Jason Ambrosi recently told Reuters that a key priority is to narrow the pay gap between Air Canada pilots and their U.S. counterparts, echoing the union's demand for a "North American" contract at WestJet. Gradek added there is a group of Air Canada pilots "who have been chomping at the bit" to get a significant bump in wages. Air Canada pilots, who have received a 2% wage increase per year since 2014, have complained Delta’s latest hourly pay rates are up to 45% higher.

☆ FedEx pilots vote in favor of strike in push for pay rise
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-17 | by ( Nathan Gomes | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

May 17 (Reuters) - Pilots of FedEx Corp's (FDX.N) air delivery unit on Wednesday voted "overwhelmingly" in favor of a strike if needed, the Air Line Pilots Association said as it enters the final stages of a contract negotiation with the company. With aviators in short supply and air travel demand booming, pilots are enjoying enhanced bargaining power, encouraging them to push for better contracts with airlines and parcel firms. More than 97% of the union members took part in the vote and 99% of them authorized union leaders to call a strike, if needed, by the pilots of FedEx Express. "We are still in productive negotiations with our pilots under the supervision of a government-appointed mediator and will return to the bargaining table next week," FedEx said in a statement. Pilots' union at Southwest Airlines Co (LUV.N) too had recently backed a strike mandate ahead of the busy summer travel season.

☆ FedEx Express pilots vote in support of strike, union says
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

May 17 (Reuters) - Pilots of FedEx Express, a unit of FedEx Corp (FDX.N), have voted "overwhelmingly" in support of a strike, the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) said on Wednesday. From over 97% of members who participated in the vote, 99% authorized union leaders to call a strike, if needed, to achieve a new contractual agreement with the delivery firm. FedEx pilots are currently working under contractual provisions and benefits arrived at in 2015, after negotiations for a new agreement began in 2021. Earlier this month, Southwest Airlines Co's (LUV.N) pilots union said its members had approved a strike mandate by an overwhelming majority ahead of the busy summer travel season. If either side declines, both parties enter a 30-day "cooling off" period, after which pilots and management can engage in self-help - a strike by the union or a lockout by management.

☆ WestJet union seeks to narrow pay gap between Canada and U.S. pilots as strike looms
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-16 | by ( Allison Lampert | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Pilots at Onex Corp-owned (ONEX.TO) WestJet gave notice on Monday that could allow for strike action as early as May 19, raising fears of travel disruptions during Canada's Victoria Day holiday weekend. Pay is still the outlier," said Bernard Lewall, a union representative with the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA). "We need to narrow that gap between the North American carriers and WestJet," he said on Tuesday in an interview. Lewall declined to give a specific wage target, but said the airline must pay more to retain pilots. "We hope this measure will help WestJet passengers who otherwise could not travel due to the pilots’ strike,” said Flair CEO Stephen Jones.

"That's what we are looking towards as we are working with our pilots union to get a deal done." American Airlines, United Airlines (UAL.O) and Southwest Airlines (LUV.N) are all in the middle of contract negotiations with their pilots. The carrier's pilot union said it made no concessions in the deal, which included dozens of work-rule improvements and quality-of-life related items. In an update to its members this week, United's pilot union said it is seeking similar improvements. Casey Murray, head of the Dallas-based airline's pilot union, said it has lost more pilots in the first four months of this year than it did in all of 2022.

☆ Airlines are combating the pilot shortage by paying pilots more, making it easier to become one, and hiring from Australia
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-24 | by ( Taylor Rains | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

An ongoing pilot shortage has plagued US airlines since travel came roaring back post-pandemic. While some organizations — like the Regional Airline Association advocacy group — have praised the legalization, the Air Line Pilots Association has opposed it, Reuters reported. Increasing pilot payRegional flying has been particularly impacted by the pilot shortage, forcing airlines to slash dozens of flights to small markets and even ground regional jets. Other regional carriers like Mesa Airlines, Republic Airways, and Delta's wholly-owned airline Endeavor Air have also gotten pay increases. Lowering training requirementsRegional carrier Republic recently asked the FAA to reduce the flight hour requirement for pilots graduating from its LIFT pilot training academy.

☆ US airlines about to be hit with ‘tsunami’ of pilot retirements
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( Greg Wallace | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Washington DC CNN —The US airline industry is about to be hit with a “tsunami of pilot retirements” that will further the nation’s pilot shortage, limiting flight availability for passengers and putting upward pressure on fares, an industry group told Congress Wednesday. Black’s group represents the regional carriers which provide feeder service for the larger airlines such as American, United (UAL)and Delta (DAL). But the union representing most US airline pilots urged Congress against changing pilot qualification and training standards in an attempt to address the pilot shortage, saying some ideas would compromise safety. The Regional Airline Association, representing carriers that connect major cities to smaller regional airports, noted that the airlines are not the only destination for pilots with that qualification and warned of a significant pilot shortage that will get worse with a “tsunami” of retirements. Senior airline pilots frequently fly international routes, but international rules have an age 65 limit.

☆ Pilots at Canada's WestJet Airlines approve possible strike action
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-18 | by ( Allison Lampert | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

April 18 (Reuters) - WestJet Airlines pilots on Tuesday voted for possible strike action as early as May 16, underscoring broader efforts by North American pilots to make gains on salary and working conditions as traffic rises. Pilots at Onex Corp's (ONEX.TO) WestJet Group, Canada's second-largest carrier, could strike or be locked out if notice is given on May 13, union representative Bernard Lewall said. Participating pilots voted 93% in favor of strike authorization, said Lewall, chair of the local union with the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA). Calgary-based WestJet said the carrier wants an agreement that is competitive within Canada's airline industry. Their union, the Allied Pilots Association, is also holding a strike authorization vote that concludes on April 30.

☆ US lawmakers make new push to bar convicted violent passengers from flights
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-27 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

WASHINGTON, March 27 (Reuters) - A bipartisan group of lawmakers on Wednesday will make a new push for legislation to bar passengers fined or convicted of serious physical violence from commercial flights after a series of recent high-profile incidents. Last year, the American Civil Liberties Union opposed creating a no-fly list for unruly passengers, saying the U.S. government "has a terrible record of treating people fairly with regard to the existing no-fly list and other watch lists that are aimed at alleged terrorists." Despite the end of the airplane mask mandate in April 2022, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) investigated 831 unruly passenger incidents in 2022, up from 146 in 2019, but down from 1,099 in 2021, the lawmakers noted. The FAA received 2,456 unruly passenger reports in 2022 and proposed $8.4 million in fines, down from 5,981 reports in 2021, which included 4,290 mask-related incidents. In February 2022, Delta Air Lines (DAL.N) CEO Ed Bastian urged the U.S. government to place passengers convicted of on-board disruptions on a national no-fly list that would bar them from future travel on any commercial airline.

☆ Senators propose raising US commercial pilots mandatory retirement age
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-21 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

WASHINGTON, March 21 (Reuters) - A group of seven U.S. senators on Tuesday proposed legislation to raise the mandatory commercial pilot retirement age to 67 from 65, in a bid to address airline industry staffing issues. The proposal, which would require pilots over age 65 to pass a rigorous medical screening every six months, follows complaints of pilot shortages by many regional airlines. The Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) opposes proposals to increase the retirement age. Graham previously noted that in 2007 the United States raised the mandatory retirement age from 60 to 65, and "the sky did not fall." Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg has previously said he does not support raising the pilot retirement age.

☆ Biden seeks new funding for air traffic controllers, Amtrak
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-13 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

WASHINGTON, March 13 (Reuters) - The Biden administration on Monday released details on a new proposal calling for more funding for more air traffic controllers and to speed modernization efforts after a computer outage led to the first nationwide flight grounding since 2001. The Transportation Department's $108.5 billion budget request seeks funding from Congress, including $117 million to hire another 1,800 air traffic controllers in addition to another 1,500 being hired this year. The National Air Traffic Controllers Association said last year the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) had 1,500 fewer controllers than in 2011. The Transportation Department wants $3.1 billion in annual funding for passenger railroad Amtrak on top of $4.4 billion in funding from the $1 trillion 2021 infrastructure law. The FAA wants $24 million to fund 50 new test pilots, data scientists, safety inspectors and others to oversee Boeing (BA.N) and other airplane manufacturers.

☆ Air Canada pilots decry 'embarrassing' pay gap with U.S. after Delta deal
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-03 | by ( Allison Lampert | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

MONTREAL, March 3 (Reuters) - Air Canada (AC.TO) pilots are pressing for higher pay in the run-up to fresh contract talks, following recent gains secured by pilots at U.S. carrier Delta Air Lines (DAL.N), union representatives told Reuters. Delta's latest hourly pay rates are up to 45% higher than current Air Canada hourly pay rates, the Air Canada Pilots Association (ACPA) said in an email. Air Canada pilots have received a 2% wage increase per year, since 2014, said ACPA, which represents about 4,500 pilots. ACPA is in talks to possibly join the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA), the world's largest pilots' union, representing more than 60,000 pilots in the United States and Canada. Air Canada, which expects to return to 2019 levels of capacity next year, is also facing cost pressures.

☆ Delta Pilots Approve Four-Year Contract With 34% Raises
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-01 | by ( Andrew Tangel | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Delta Air Lines Inc.’s pilots ratified a new contract that provides 34% pay increases over a four-year agreement, setting a potential bar as other U.S. carriers and their pilots’ unions pursue similar contract negotiations. Delta said the agreement, which runs through December 2026, would position the airline’s approximately 15,000 pilots to continue leading the industry in total compensation and work-rule improvements. The Air Line Pilots Association, which represents Delta pilots, said 78% of the Atlanta-based carrier’s pilots ratified the agreement.

☆ Delta pilots ratify new contract - union
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-01 | by ( Rajesh Kumar Singh | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

CHICAGO, March 1 (Reuters) - Pilots at Delta Air Lines (DAL.N) have ratified a new contract, widely expected to be a benchmark for contract negotiations at rival airlines, that includes over $7 billion in cumulative increases in pay and benefits over four years, their union said on Wednesday. Both American Airlines (AAL.O) and United Airlines (UAL.O) have promised an "industry-leading" contract to their pilots. It will cover 15,000 Delta pilots and come into effect on Thursday, The Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) said. ALPA said that 78% of Delta pilots voted in favor of the contract. The new contract showcases the bargaining power pilots are enjoying as carriers rush to staff up to keep up with travel demand.

☆ FedEx pilot union inches closer to strike with unanimous approval for authorization vote
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-22 | by ( Noah Sheidlower | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

The union representing FedEx pilots unanimously approved a strike authorization vote last week, according to a Wednesday press release. According to a statement on the FedEx pilots' website, pilot leaders allege the company has failed to "acknowledge pilot contributions." After 30 days, pilots and management could exercise self-help, which could include a union strike or a company lockout. A statement by pilot leaders says FedEx customers should plan alternative means in the event of a pilot strike. The update comes a month after the Southwest Airlines pilots' union called a vote to authorize a potential strike after souring contract negotiations.

☆ Reasons Plane Travel, Airline Customer Service, Airports Are so Terrible
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-20 | by ( Bartie Scott | Juliana Kaplan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +15 min

It's almost impossible to imagine a time when air travel was pleasant, much less enjoyable. Lost baggage, overbooked flights, outdated equipment, hidden fees, and disorganized staffing have fliers at their wits' end; consumer complaints about airline service have risen by 300% from pre-pandemic levels. Many of these measures had been put in place to improve safety following some rattling accidents in the early days of commercial air travel. So in 1978, at the urging of the economist and "inflation czar" Alfred Kahn, President Jimmy Carter enacted the Airline Deregulation Act. He added that "airline service, by any standard, has become unacceptable."

However, Boiardi said an earlier proposal from the industry for totally single-pilot flying by 2030 was "absolutely not realistic", because automation had not advanced far enough and solo flying required a level of safety equivalent to existing operations. Solo flying, even in cruise, needs approval from the United Nations' International Civil Aviation Organization, individual airlines and their pilot unions. Even limited solo flying, however, is dividing airlines and raising public fears, while sparking a growing backlash among pilot groups like the European Cockpit Association. Airbus said in a statement it was studying the concept of a single pilot in the cruise phase but not wholly single-pilot flights. Consumer resistance, however, could result in single-pilot flying starting with cargo flights, industry officials said.

☆ U.S. House committee to hold aviation safety hearing
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-02 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

WASHINGTON, Feb 1 (Reuters) - A Federal Aviation Administration safety official, National Transportation Safety Board chair and head of the largest pilots union are among those who will testify on Feb. 7 before Congress. Associate FAA Administrator for Aviation Safety David Boulter, NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy, Air Line Pilots Association President Jason Ambrosi, National Business Aviation Association CEO Ed Bolen and General Aviation Manufacturers Association CEO Pete Bunce are among the witnesses, the committee said Wednesday. Billy Nolen, the head of aviation safety, has been acting FAA administrator since April 1 when Steve Dickson left halfway through his five-year term. The Senate Commerce Committee has yet to schedule a hearing on President Joe Biden's FAA nominee who has drawn fire from Republicans. Last month, the FAA named two dozen experts to review Boeing’s safety management processes and safety culture.

☆ JetBlue pilots approve two-year contract extension - union
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

CHICAGO, Jan 30 (Reuters) - Pilots at JetBlue Airways Corp (JBLU.O) have overwhelmingly approved a two-year contract extension, their union said on Monday. The Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA), which represents more than 4,600 pilots at JetBlue, said 75% of the pilots voted in favor of ratifying the agreement, which provides for a compensation increase of 21.5% over 18 months as well as other monetary improvements. Reporting by Rajesh Kumar SinghOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ JetBlue pilots approve contract extension that comes with over 21% in raises
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-30 | by ( Leslie Josephs | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

JetBlue Airways pilots have approved a contract extension that comes with 21.5% raises over the next 18 months as the industry reverses slow progress in labor deals during a pilot shortage. That airline's pilots approved a new two-year contract that their union estimated to be worth around $463 million. If the merger isn't approved by regulators, the union will go back into contract negotiations with the airline. A shortage of aviators and high demand from airlines large and small have also limited airlines' ability to grow. United Airlines , American Airlines and Southwest Airlines are still in talks with their pilots' labor unions.

Labor shortagesAs the pandemic swooped in, air travel was among the industries most affected, as more than 90% of flights were grounded. Today, labor shortages exist throughout the economy, but the problem drags on in the air travel sector, where more extensive employee training is usually required. Steven Senne / APOutdated technology and infrastructureThere is near-universal agreement that the infrastructure underpinning segments of America's air travel system is outdated and vulnerable. Rep. Sam Graves, R-Montana, said the incident highlighted "a huge vulnerability in our air transportation system." Air travel should be predictable and consistent, and you shouldn’t have to wonder if air traffic control is going to be working today as you head to the airport.

☆ Delta curbs employee access to luxury airport lounges as it struggles with crowding
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-12 | by ( Leslie Josephs | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Delta Air Lines plans to curb employee access to its plush and popular airport lounges next month, its latest attempt to ease crowding. "The employee discount on Delta Sky Club memberships also is discontinued," said the memo, which was seen by CNBC. Complimentary seats on planes are a major perk for airline staff, and they aren't just used for vacation. American and United say they aren't planning similar policy changes for their lounges, though carriers occasionally tweak employee travel policies. For example, those carriers paused certain employee travel perks to London over the summer due to congestion.

"At this time, we do not believe the cause is related to the FAA outage experienced earlier today." Share this -Link copiedNearly half of Southwest flights delayed just weeks after mass cancellations Nearly half of Southwest Airlines flights were delayed as of about 11:15 a.m. Share this -Link copiedMore than 540 Delta flights delayed, 14 canceled More than 540 Delta flights were delayed as of 9:13 a.m. ET, the airline had three flights canceled and 208 flights delayed, amounting to 21% of its overall flights, according to FlightAware. Alaska Airlines had 11 flights canceled and 149 flights delayed, also amounting to 21% of its overall flights, FlightAware noted as of 8:53 a.m.

☆ Spirit Airlines Pilots Approve New Contract, Lifting Pay 34%
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-10 | by ( Alison Sider | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Spirit had struggled to attract new pilots as competitors had raised pay. Pilots at Spirit Airlines Inc. approved a two-year contract agreement that will boost their pay by an average of 34% over that period, signaling how growing competition for aviators is fueling higher wages. Nearly 70% of Spirit’s pilots voted in favor of the deal, which the Air Line Pilots Association union said included gains worth $463 million. Captains will receive cumulative pay increases of 25% over the term of the agreement, while first officers’ pay will increase 43%, the union said.

☆ Head of United Airlines pilot union resigns after making insulting and 'inappropriate' remarks about gay people, women, and ethnic minority groups
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-23 | by ( Beatrice Nolan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

United Airlines captain Neil Swindells has resigned as head of the company's pilot union. The comments were insulting to gay people, women, and other ethnic groups. Swindells' resignation from United's chapter of the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) came after he apologized for remarks that were insulting to gay people, women, and minority groups. CBS News said it was provided with the messages posted under Swindells' name, which were confirmed by other United Airlines pilots. Representatives for United Airlines and Swindells did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment made outside normal working hours.

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