While other major carriers have struck industry-leading deals with their pilots, Southwest Airlines’ pilots union says the Dallas-based carrier needs to ramp up contract negotiations before the busy holiday traveling season.
This past weekend, pilots at Chicago-based United Airlines reached an agreement in principle with its company, raising pay by up to 40% over four years. United is the latest of the major airlines to strike a deal with pilots, including Fort Worth-based American Airlines, which reached a deal with the carrier in May.
American’s tentative agreement proposes about a 21% pay raise for this year on top of back-dated raises going back to 2020 and more increases in years to come. In March, Delta Air Lines pilots approved a new contract that would raise pay by more than 30% over four years.
