Air Transat pilots secure 60% wage increase: report

Following a tentative agreement that narrowly averted a strike at Transat A.T., Air Transat pilots are slated for an average pay hike of more than 60 per cent over the next five years, according to the Canadian Press.

In CP’s report, Transat spokesperson Andréan Gagné shared some details about the deal, which pilots will vote on in the coming weeks.

Additionally, by 2030, most captains at Air Transat could see their earnings increase by more than $100,000 annually, Gagné noted.

Transat is withholding full details of the agreement until official ratification.

Bradley Small, leader of the union representing Air Transat staff, also declined to confirm the numbers.

However, he told CP that the deal places his members roughly on par with pilots at WestJet and Air Canada, who secured substantial wage increases in 2023 and 2024.

Union leaders plan to share the details of the agreement with members next week in Toronto and Montreal, followed by a vote scheduled to conclude on Jan. 6.

Wages were the main sticking point during the last two days of negotiations, while other matters such as scheduling, insurance, and benefits had mostly been resolved, according to both sides.

Operations return to normal

Air Transat reached a tentative agreement with the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA), which represents its some 750 pilots, late Tuesday (Dec. 9), lifting the risk of a strike.

The resolution followed more than 11 months of intensive negotiations and last-minute flight disruptions.

A 72-hour strike notice was issued on December 7, triggering a countdown to a potential strike that could have begun in the early hours of December 10 (Wednesday).

Air Transat began scaling back operations on Tuesday, initially cancelling select flights to Cancun and Punta Cana before expanding the cancellations to South American and European destinations into Dec. 10.

Operates have since been returning to normal.

“We recognize that this period caused significant uncertainty, and we offer our sincerest apologies to customers whose travel plans were disrupted in recent days,” the airline wrote in a statement posted to its website. “Our priority now is to rapidly restore our operations and provide you with the best possible service.”

In a Q&A that was also published, Air Transat notes that any flight that has already been cancelled, or bookings that were cancelled by customers, will not be reinstated. Affected travellers are being advised to make a new reservation.

The Q&A also outlines Air Transat’s policies for upcoming travel dates, credits, and rebooking procedures.

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