Alaska’s Horizon Air Unit, Pilots Union Reach Contract Agreement

By Jesse Sokolow on 17 April 2017
  • Share
A Horizon Bombardier Q400 aircraft

A Horizon Bombardier Q400 aircraft

Horizon Air and the union representing its pilots announced on Friday that the two parties had reached a tentative agreement to amend their current contract.

The airline, a subsidiary of Alaska Air Group that operates regional flights in the Pacific Northwest, had reportedly struggled to hire and retain enough pilots to fly all of the airline’s scheduled flights because of low starting pay.

The proposed amendment will increase the starting salary for new pilots, allowing the airline to compete with other regional carriers for new hires.

The change will “increase our pilot recruitment efforts and offer generous entry level wages for new first officers,” said Brad Lambert, the airline’s vice president of flight operations. “This deal will allow us to successfully compete for talent and grow our airline.”

The airline’s 620 pilots, represented by the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, and the airline were in negotiations since last summer over pay and staffing.

(Photo: Accura Media Group)

Accura News