FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. \u2014 Allegiant Air pilots picketed outside Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport on Tuesday \u201cto demand a fair contract and an end to ongoing negotiation delays,\u201d according to officials with their union, the Teamsters.<\/p>\n
Signs reading \u201cPassengers deserve better\u201d and \u201cManagement\u2019s mistakes\u201d lined the sidewalk as Allegiant pilots \u2014 joined by pilots from several other airlines \u2014 voiced frustration over five years of negotiations with no contract in place.<\/p>\n
Passengers say the dispute also affects them. <\/p>\n
Donnie Reed, who said he flies Allegiant with his wife every few months, said the airline\u2019s pilots are the \u201ccream of the crop\u201d and should be paid that way.<\/p>\n
\u201cAllegiant pilots deserve just as much pay as the other pilots do,\u201d Reed said. \u201cThey\u2019re flying our flights and controlling people\u2019s lives.\u201d<\/p>\n
Pilots have also held coordinated pickets at more than 20 airports across the country. <\/p>\n
Fort Lauderdale-based Allegiant Air Capt. Brad Dugan organized the picket at FLL, one of several operating bases for the low-cost carrier.<\/p>\n
\u201cPassengers deserve better, because I don\u2019t know one passenger (who) wouldn\u2019t want the most experienced pilot on the plane,\u201d Dugan said. \u201cNow that our contract is (delayed), many of our pilots only stay for one to two years and then move on to other airlines.\u201d<\/p>\n
Pilots held signs reading \u201c5 years, zero contract\u201d and \u201cready to strike.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThey\u2019ve offered us quite a (few) pay raises; however, those pay raises still come in 30% lower than the rest of the country,\u201d Dugan said. \u201cIt\u2019s embarrassing to be the lowest paid in the country.\u201d<\/p>\n
Reed added, \u201cThey deserve the same amount of pay because they do the same job.\u201d<\/p>\n
Pilots said they love working at Allegiant and don\u2019t want to leave, instead saying they want to see the airline reach its full potential.<\/p>\n
Allegiant released a statement to Local 10 News just after noon on Tuesday, stating, in part: <\/p>\n
local10 logo<\/p>\n
\u201cAllegiant is currently in negotiations with the Teamsters Local 2118, with the mediation assistance of the National Mediation Board (NMB), to finalize an agreement for our pilots. Allegiant has offered a competitive package \u2013 including an immediate 50% average increase in hourly wages that scales to 70% over 5 years. Additionally, we have offered a 50% increase in direct contribution to pilots\u2019 retirement benefits, improvements in long-term disability benefits, and extensive scheduling and quality of life improvements designed to honor seniority and protect our business model.<\/p>\n
\u201cTo further demonstrate our commitment to our pilots, Allegiant has been accruing a retention bonus since June 2023 that represents an 82% pay increase for first-year first officers and a 35% pay increase for all other pilots. The accrued money will be paid out in a lump sum cash payment to individuals once a new contract is ratified. For senior captains, that retention bonus has already exceeded $200,000 and counting.<\/p>\n
\u201cTuesday, the members of IBT 2118 will exercise their right to conduct informational picketing. This is not a work stoppage, nor is one imminent. We are operating our full schedule and do not anticipate any disruptions related to the informational picketing. Our customers can continue to book and travel with confidence.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u2014 Allegiant Air spokesperson<\/p>\n
\ud83c\udfe0 News From Your Neighborhood<\/p>\n
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