Air Canada pilots have given a green light to a tentative agreement with the airline, easing any fears of a future strike. The Air Line Pilots Association says its 5,200 members voted 67 percent in favour of the contract, which provides a cumulative wage hike of nearly 42% over four years and goes into effect immediately.

The increase outstrips major gains won last year by pilots at the three biggest US airlines, where pay bumps ranged between 34 and 40%, though they started from a higher baseline.

Despite the big top-line figure, the fact that roughly one-third of the pilots voted to reject the agreement reveals a divide over issues such as scheduling, quality of life, and a large pay gap between newer employees and more experienced flight crews.

Charlene Hudy, who chairs the union’s Air Canada contingent, says the deal helps restore what pilots have lost over the past two decades.

Air Canada president and CEO Michael Rousseau said “the agreement is mutually beneficial, and it will keep our pilots the best compensated in Canada and provide the work-life balance improvements they were seeking.

“At the same time,” he added, “the agreement gives our company flexibility and creates a framework for future growth of the airline and its network.”

The tentative contract, hammered out in mid-September after more than a year of negotiations, averted a strike that would have seen some 670 flight cancellations and 110,000 passengers affected daily.

Over the past few weeks, the union held roadshows to pitch the would-be deal to members.

Hudy warned her colleagues in a virtual town hall last month that she would step down if they opted to reject the agreement, raising the stakes as aviators mulled whether to accept the salary gains or try to drive an even harder bargain.

About 99 per cent of eligible pilots cast ballots in the ratification vote, the union said.

The contract goes is retroactive to September 2023 and will expire on Sept. 29, 2027.

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