Yesterday marked the expiration of the Air Transat pilots’ collective agreement that had been in place for over 10 years. Over the last decade, the Air Transat pilots, represented by the Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l (ALPA), have twice put their needs on hold to help their employer—first through the unsuccessful merger attempt with Air Canada and later through the effort to restart the airline following the COVID-19 pandemic.
The pilots are now asking for their sacrifices to be rewarded and reflected in a modern collective agreement that reflects the economic reality of today’s aviation industry.
“For a decade, our pilots have repeatedly made significant sacrifices—delaying career growth, quality of life, and fair compensation—to help stabilize and grow this company,” said Captain Bradley Small, Air Transat Master Executive Council chair. “Since the end of the pandemic, over 170 pilots have left the airline to pursue better opportunities elsewhere; as a result, the airline has continually struggled to attract and retain flight crew.”
ALPA says Air Transat’s current pilot contract lags significantly behind industry standards in Canada and North America. While peers at other airlines are securing forward-looking agreements, Transat pilots continue to work under outdated terms that no longer meet the needs of today’s profession.
“Negotiations for a new contract aren’t just about pay rates,” said Captain Small. “We are rewriting the collective agreement from the ground up. Our pilots desperately need modern compensation to reflect the value they bring to the airline, improve their quality of life, and ensure substantive job security. We cannot accept a patchwork fix.”
As the company positions itself for future growth, ALPA urges leadership to invest in the frontline professionals who make growth possible. Pilot salaries currently represent a mere five percent of Air Transat’s overall operating costs, as confirmed by CEO Annick Guérard during a recent investor relations call.
“The cost of fair wages is a fraction of the company’s budget, but the cost of ignoring pilot needs is far greater,” Small added. “No pilots mean no expansion. It’s that simple.”
Founded in 1931, ALPA is the largest airline pilot union in the world and represents more than 79,000 pilots at 42 U.S. and Canadian airlines.
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