Pilot Furloughs Cancelled, 13000 Pilots Stay Employed

Our friends flying for United Airlines tell us that they "worked hard for this one." What they're talking about is their approval of a Pandemic Recovery Letter of Agreement (LOA) with United Airlines management. The agreement keeps all 13,000 United pilots employed and cancels the 2,850 previously announced furloughs.

“Our members understood that in order to protect pilot jobs, we needed to approve this agreement,” said Capt. Todd Insler, United ALPA Master Executive Council chairman. “We’re spreading the existing flying among our pilot group while locking in permanent contractual gains. I am proud of our pilots for showing the unity and resolve needed in the face of uncertainty.”

The LOA prevents any United pilot from being furloughed at least until June 2021. The deal also offers a second round of early separation options for all pilots age 50+ with 10 years of experience and reduces or terminates the effect of temporary work reductions based on a recovery in passenger demand or other market factors.

“We’ve worked for months on creative solutions to mitigate massive pilot layoffs,” said Insler. “With this agreement now solidified, we will turn our focus back to Congress to secure a much-needed CARES Act extension to keep our industry solvent until we recover from this pandemic.”

FMI: www.alpa.org, www.united.com