Air Transat pilots have overwhelmingly ratified a new five-year employment contract, according to the Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l (ALPA). Of the 98% of 750 eligible pilots who cast ballots, 91% voted in favour of the deal, negotiated in December, which offered a wage hike of more than 50% on average over five years.
The settlement, which included a boost of $100,000-plus per year by 2030 for most Transat captains, averted a potentially costly and harmful strike over the holiday season.
The deal cemented on Tuesday would see senior captains make nearly $388,000 a year by May 2029, while the salary of experienced first officers would top $238,000, according to the tentative contract seen last month by The Canadian Press and voted on over the past two and a half weeks.
Captains would start off at $220,500 in their first year of service and first officers at $85,000. Those two figures represent jumps of roughly 47% and 60%, respectively.
“Our pilots came together with professionalism and purpose to secure an agreement that reflects who we are and the essential role we play in our airline’s success,” said Capt. Bradley Small, chair of ALPA’s Air Transat Master Executive Council. “While it was unfortunate that this level of pressure was required, it was our unity that ultimately delivered results.”
The strong vote turnout reflects pilot engagement and sets the stage for continued collaboration with management, says ALPA, which noted that over the past year, Air Transat pilots demonstrated their resolve through coordinated informational picketing at both Toronto and Montreal bases, the opening of a strike centre, and the issuance of a 72-hour strike notice, backed by an overwhelming strike mandate.
The deal was reached on Dec. 9 less than 12 hours before a potential strike.
“For years, Air Transat pilots have gone above and beyond through industry uncertainty and other challenges no one could have predicted,” Small continued. “Through dedication, professionalism, and an unwavering commitment to safety, our pilots helped carry this airline forward. This agreement recognizes that contribution and the value pilots bring every day.”
Transat CEO Annick Guérard said the agreement “acknowledges the progress needed to catch up to the industry.”
“It also incorporates major improvements in efficiency and productivity, enabling us to continue our growth strategy,” she said in a statement.
The new agreement is a five-year deal backdated to May 1, 2025, and will expire on April 30, 2030.
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