Particle.news
Download on the App Store

Allegiant Pilots Picket at 22 Bases as Contract Standoff Persists

Pilots seek industry-standard compensation with predictable schedules after five years of unresolved talks.

Overview

  • More than 1,400 Allegiant Air pilots held coordinated informational pickets Tuesday at 22 U.S. crew bases, with flights operating as normal under Railway Labor Act rules.
  • The Teamsters say pilots are underpaid and overworked and cite departures to higher-paying carriers, noting first-year Allegiant first officers earn about $50,000 versus roughly $100,000 at some regionals.
  • Allegiant says it has offered an immediate average 50% hourly pay increase rising to 70% over a five-year deal, plus a 50% boost to company retirement contributions and improved disability benefits.
  • Scheduling and work-rule protections remain a central sticking point, with the union decrying moved off-days and reserve usage at larger bases.
  • The union alleges the company aims to label 20% of pilots as surplus, a claim Allegiant denies, and warns that continued attrition could strain service at local bases such as Pittsburgh and Cincinnati.