Spirit Airlines offers big raises to pilots in new contract, according to union memo

Spirit Airlines has offered arsenic overmuch arsenic a 43% cumulative weighted mean wage rise to its pilots implicit 2 years, according to a national memo seen by Reuters.

The woody is yet much grounds of the bargaining powerfulness pilots are enjoying arsenic carriers unit up to conscionable booming question demand. It comes a week aft Delta Air Lines offered a 34% cumulative wage summation to its pilots implicit 3 years successful a caller contract.

In a memo sent retired to its members connected Friday, Spirit's aviator national said the woody volition effect successful a 43% cumulative weighted mean wage rise for archetypal serviceman and a 25% wage summation for skipper implicit 2 years. Overall, it would pb to a 34% cumulative weighted mean summation successful wage rates for Spirit pilots, the memo said.

The Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA), which represents pilots astatine the ultra-low-cost carrier, said the caller declaration statement represents an economical summation of $463 million, oregon 27% implicit the adjacent 2 years, for the pilots.

If ratified by the pilots, the two-year statement volition go effectual connected Jan. 1. A day for a national subordinate ballot connected the connection was not instantly known. The aviator national has planned roadshows betwixt Dec. 14-20 to make enactment for the deal.

The projected declaration besides provides for higher grooming wage and accrued publication to 401(k). ALPA said the woody involves "zero concessions" connected the portion of Spirit pilots.

"This agreement...stands successful stark opposition to erstwhile bargaining cycles astatine Spirit and different ample pitchy carriers, wherever pilots person endured years of stagnating compensation portion negotiating broad aviator contracts," said Spirit's aviator national caput Ryan Muller.

ALPA said the projected declaration volition screen 3,100 Spirit pilots.

Spirit didn't respond to a petition for comments.

After reducing headcount by thousands during the depths of the pandemic, airlines are grappling with a shortage of pilots, enhancing the bargaining powerfulness of workers.

Analysts astatine Jefferies estimation the United States is abbreviated of 10,000 pilots. This supply-demand spread is projected to past until 2027.

In July, Spirit agreed to merchantability itself to JetBlue Airways Corp successful a $3.8 cardinal deal, which is expected to adjacent nary aboriginal than the archetypal fractional of 2024. While Spirit's shareholders person approved the merger, the destiny of the woody hinges connected securing regulatory approvals.