Alaska
Alaska pilots gather at Seattle International Airport for a coffee sit hosted by Master Executive Council volunteers.
At A Glance
Pilots joined ALPA: 1947
Number of pilots: 3,442
Domiciles: Anchorage, Alaska; Los Angeles and San Francisco, Calif.; Portland, Ore.; and Seattle, Wash.
Headquarters: Seattle, Wash.
Operations: Alaska and its regional partners serve more than 120 destinations across the U.S., Belize, Canada, Costa Rica, and Mexico. Passengers, through Alaska’s membership in the oneworld Alliance and with additional global partners, can travel to more than 1,000 destinations on more than 25 airlines while earning and redeeming miles on flights to locations around the world.
Fleet: 221 B-737s
On Oct. 17, 2022, Alaska Airlines pilots ratified an amended collective bargaining agreement that contained significant improvements. Among other gains, scope, quality of life—largely in the form of advancements in scheduling—and pay were realized. Since ratification, the pilots’ Master Executive Council (MEC) and committee members have worked diligently to ensure that contract implementation progresses as agreed upon. Currently, committee experts are preparing for the pilot group’s transition to a preferential bidding and new reserve system in May 2024.
The improved rates of pay achieved in the current contract are causing an increasing number of pilots to exceed annual IRS limits on amounts that may be contributed to their 401(k) plans. The MEC Retirement & Insurance Committee is studying a market-based cash-balance plan to address the issue of this spillover for Alaska pilots. The results of this study and any subsequent agreements will be sent to the membership for ratification.
The tireless work of the MEC structure in negotiating the amended collective bargaining agreement has shaped the future of the pilot group—a future that’s now evolving due to Alaska Airlines’ and Hawaiian Airlines’ recent announcement on Dec. 3, 2023, of a proposed merger. As a result, the Alaska MEC stands ready to build upon the solid existing relationship with its ALPA colleagues at Hawaiian Airlines and move toward a productive future as a unified pilot group.
