Airline pilots seek bigger raises and changes

Airlines face a long list of challenges like staffing shortages, bad weather, high fuel prices and runaway inflation as they try to benefit from a strong travel rebound. But in the meantime, they have another complication in the mix: negotiating new pilot contracts. Each of the country's largest carriers is trying to reach new contracts for their pilots. In many cases, airlines have agreed to pay substantially higher wages, with two major airlines offering to raise pay more than 14 percent in the next year and a half.

However, money alone might not be the answer. Pilot unions are also demanding changes in operations and their members’ quality of life, particularly as flight disruptions throughout the recovery have left pilots feeling frustrated and overworked. Industry analysts say that the workers may be well-positioned to get what they want. 

The pilot shortage was worsened by the pandemic when airlines encouraged thousands of pilots and other workers to accept buyouts and early-retirement offers. Now, the industry is hiring pilots at record numbers but is struggling to attract, train and retain them. A pilot and president of the Southwest Airlines Pilots Association Casey Murray says, "You absolutely cannot address quality of life with money. You’re never going to pay someone enough for a lost piano recital with their daughter or a lost baseball game." 

Source: The New York Times