American Airlines pilots approve new contract
American Airlines pilots have approved a new four-year contract, which their union on Monday called “unprecedented” in terms of benefits secured in a single agreement.
The Allied Pilots Association (APA), which represents 15,000 pilots for the Texas-based airline, said 72.7% of pilots voted in favor of the deal, which secures more than $9.6 billion in additional value compared to its previous agreement.
Pilots at U.S. legacy carriers such as American, United Airlines and Delta Air Lines are securing big improvements in pay and working conditions in new agreements reached this year, at a time when travel is soaring after a sharp decline during the pandemic.
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“It’s unprecedented and historic,” Allied Pilots Association president Capt. Ed Sicher told Reuters on Monday.
“For pilots, the biggest win is not just wages, but work-life balance.”
The 48-month contract carries wage improvements that include some $1.1 billion in immediate lump-sum payments and ratification bonuses. According to a union statement, pilots will receive on average an immediate pay increase of more than 21%.
Quality-of-life improvements account for nearly 20% of the increased value of the new contract. For example, pilots will receive a bonus if the company reassigns them from a trip they bid or requested to fly, Sicher explained.
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