Nearly all of the pilots weighed in on the new contract, with more than 72 percent approving it over two weeks of voting, which closed on Monday. The deal includes about $1.1 billion in immediate and retroactive payments and ratification bonuses.
In addition to the raises, American’s pilots will receive more pay when they go on vacation, are reassigned or are in training. The company had also agreed to improved life insurance, long-term disability and retirement benefits.
“This agreement will help American immediately expand our pilot training capacity to support underutilized aircraft and future flying and provide our pilots with more opportunities to progress in their careers,” American’s chief executive, Robert Isom, said in a statement.
Delta’s pilots set a baseline for negotiations in March, when they voted to approve a contract that would raise wages 34 percent by 2026. United’s pilots last month reached a tentative agreement that would increase pay 40 percent in the coming years.
American, Delta, United and Southwest Airlines each reported record quarterly revenues in the three months that ended in June, reflecting the strong and continuing recovery from the depths of the pandemic, boosted most recently by international travel. Southwest’s pilots are still negotiating a new contract.
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