Negotiated Agreement Fell Through in August Due to Unexpected ASTG Objections

After more than five years of unsuccessful contract talks, pilots at Air Transport International (ATI) are ready to strike. The dispute follows the collapse of a long-awaited agreement in August, which pilots say was derailed when ATI’s parent company, Air Transport Services Group (ATSG), raised last-minute objections that stripped away key updates.

ATI is the largest carrier for Amazon Air, operating a major fleet of Boeing 767s that handle millions of packages annually. The airline also supports US military operations and supplements UPS cargo flights.

Despite their role in ATI’s success, the pilots, represented by the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA), say their compensation and working conditions are lacking.

“We deliver unmatched reliability, yet we receive less-than-stellar compensation for our performance,” explained Captain Mike Sterling, Chair of the ATI Master Executive Council. “While ATI is the largest Amazon air carrier in the world, our pilots receive the lowest pay rates and retirement benefits of any other pilot flying a Boeing 767 for Amazon.”

Pilots have been working under an outdated contract, which became amendable nearly five and a half years ago. Negotiations began in 2019 and even rose to a formal mediation process through the National Mediation Board in 2023, but little progress came of it. A tentative deal was reached in August 2025, only for ATSG and its financial partner Stonepeak to reject around a quarter of the agreed-upon terms.

The pilots called this move a “deal breaker” and have decided that the time has come to take more convincing action. Some have chosen to give up entirely, with around a fourth of ATI pilots leaving the company in 2022, rising to more than a third by October 2023.

“ATI pilots and our other dedicated staff want to continue to provide the outstanding level of service our customers expect, but we do not have the resources to do so,” the union stated.

FMI: https://ati.alpa.org