ACTA is calling on Ottawa to step in before a potential Air Canada pilot strike wreaks havoc on the travel industry. Meanwhile, published reports say Air Canada has offered pilots a significant pay increase.
Bloomberg reports that Canada's largest airline has offered to boost the pay of its more than 5,000 pilots by about 30% within the next three years.
According to sources close to the matter, Air Canada made the offer public to potentially gain the upper hand in a possible public relations war.
A 30% increase is something the average Canadian would likely jump at, but it doesn't match the pilots' union stated desire of bringing Air Canada wages in line with major U.S. carriers.
As Open Jaw reported in March of last year, Delta pilots approved a new contract that gave them a pay hike of over one-third by 2026. In addition, the new contract includes “improvements to scheduling, retirement and other benefits.” Online sources list Delta’s top pilots making as much as USD $526,000 per year.
At that time, Air Canada pilots described their current compensation as "an embarrassing gap" compared to pilots south of the border, reported Reuters.
Two years ago, crew publication MyFlightTraining published the following examples of the average CAD pilot salaries for different positions at Air Canada based on 6 years of service and an average of 75 flying hours per month:
A220 FO $80,052
A220 CA $194,640
B737 FO $111,852
B737 CA $196,212
A320 FO $113,088
A320 CA $198,708
A330 FO $142,524
A330 CA $256,980
B787 FO $145,500
B787 CA $262,989
B777 FO $157,032
B777 CA $286,296
Reports suggest that a 30% raise could result in a captain who has been flying a widebody aircraft like a Boeing 777 for 10 years and currently earns just over CAD$350,000 ($259,000) per year, receiving a raise of more than CAD$100,000 throughout the contract's duration. The offer also promises enhancements in pension and health benefits.
One industry insider told Open Jaw “there’s no way the pilots will accept the offer. They want to be in line with U.S. carriers.”
Meanwhile, ACTA is urging the Trudeau government to step in and "facilitate a resolution" in order to avoid a potential strike.
"If its planes are grounded, the repercussions on the travel industry would be devastating, with Canadian consumers, employees, and businesses across the nation also feeling the effects," ACTA (the Association of Canadian Travel Agencies) stated in a press release. "The ongoing uncertainty jeopardizes Canada’s global reputation as a reliable destination for both leisure and business travel, further threatening the vitality of travel agencies and independent travel advisors from coast to coast."
“Our members are fielding calls from people across the country and throughout the world concerned about potential disruptions to their long-awaited travel plans and critical business trips. This uncertainty alone threatens our industry's long-term growth. We urge the federal government to take swift action in support of a resolution that will safeguard travel plans and protect our sector's stability,” said Wendy Paradis, president of ACTA.
In August, 98% of the pilots voted in favour of a strike, and they could potentially go on strike on 17SEP if an agreement isn't reached.
The airline has implemented a rebooking policy for customers travelling between 15-23SEP.
The union says it seeks to close the pay gap with large US airlines. It has yet to comment on the recent offer. A meeting between the parties is expected in the next week.
Biased report sought to assist ACTA’s business partner Air Canada Posting 6yr pay? No mention of first 4 years pilots making 50-60k a year. Or the annoying fact that the pilots are asking for more than just money, they want back the Pensions, Vac, Schedules, and money taken from them in bankruptcy! Open Jaw dont let facts get in the way of your article! Shame on you!