Just a few weeks before Thanksgiving, the looming pilot strikes at two large airlines could make holiday travel even more complicated and frustrating for many Americans.

                By                    Yaёl Bizouati-Kennedy

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On Nov. 1, United Airlines pilots, represented by the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA), voted overwhelmingly to reject the tentative agreement that was presented to the pilot group earlier this summer, per a Nov. 1 press release. A record 9,980 United pilots participated in the vote, with 94% voting against accepting the proposed tentative agreement.

 “By the Company’s own admission, this agreement missed the mark,” United Master Executive Council chair Capt. Mike Hamilton declared in the release. “That’s why both parties agreed to reengage at the bargaining table for a new, improved agreement.”

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In a sign that would suggest the issue won’t be resolved anytime soon, and perhaps not in time for the busy holiday season, Hamilton added that, “Unfortunately, management has now taken a wait-and-see approach to negotiations instead of leading the industry forward.”

In an additional sign indicating the negotiations would linger, on Nov. 3 ALPA detailed in a statement concerning the collective bargaining environment for airline pilot contracts that, “like passengers, pilots have had enough.”

“Today, we face new threats, like airlines that are overscheduling and trying to circumvent airline safety regulations, all on top of record flight delays and cancellations,” it added.

Delta Pilots Vote For Strike Authorization

And on Oct. 31, Delta pilots also voted overwhelmingly in favor of a strike-authorization ballot. A full 96% of members participated in the vote, and 99% of Delta pilots authorized union leaders to call a strike, if necessary, to achieve a new contractual agreement with Delta Air Lines.

“Today, Delta’s nearly 15,000 pilots sent a clear message to management that we are willing to go the distance to secure a contract that reflects the value we bring to Delta Air Lines as frontline leaders and long-term stakeholders,” Capt. Jason Ambrosi, chair of the Delta Master Executive Council, said in an ALPA-issued statement.

ALPA added that before a strike can take place, the National Mediation Board must first decide that additional mediation efforts would not be productive — and offer the parties an opportunity to arbitrate the contract dispute.

“If either side declines the arbitration, both parties enter a 30-day ‘cooling off’ period, after which pilots and management can engage in self-help — a strike by the union or a lockout by management,” it said.

According to CBS, experts say this could be the biggest holiday travel season since the pandemic, possibly surpassing pre-pandemic levels.

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This season will follow a chaotic summer season, notably because of an ongoing slew of cancellations and delays.

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