Kalitta Air
A Kalitta Air B-777 in DHL livery (foreground) and a Kalitta Air B-747 at Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport. Photo: Capt. Mike Mainiero (Kalitta Air)
At A Glance
Pilots joined ALPA: 2018
Number of pilots/flightcrew members: 950
Pilot bases: Home-based
Hubs/key markets: Cincinnati, Ohio; Anchorage, Alaska; Los Angeles, Calif; Miami, Fla.; Chicago, Ill; New York City, N.Y.; Honolulu, Hawaii; Brussels, Belgium; Muharraq, Bahrain; Dubai, United Arab Emirates; Incheon, South Korea; Shanghai, China; Hong Kong, Special Administrative Region of China; Sydney, Australia; and Singapore, Singapore
Headquarters: Ypsilanti, Mich.
Operations: Kalitta operates flights across the globe.
Fleet: 22 B-747-400s and 6 B-777s. The fleet is expected to grow with the addition of 7 B-777-300ERSFs and 2 B-777-200Fs in 2025.
Moving cargo across the world for more than 40 years, Kalitta Air pilots currently operate B-747 and B-777 freighters for various customers including DHL, Pacific Air Cargo, the U.S. State Department and Department of Defense, and other freight-forwarding companies. In addition to several aircraft being delivered this past fall, in early 2025 the carrier will add nine aircraft to its fleet with the arrival of B-777-300ERSFs and B-777-200Fs.
The pilots have been in negotiations for almost a year and a half to achieve their second ALPA collective bargaining agreement, and the pilot group’s Master Executive Council (MEC) leaders are optimistic they’re nearing end-game negotiations. The pilots are working to secure a contract that includes improvements to compensation, retirement benefits, and quality of life. To date, the pilots and management have tentatively agreed to 16 sections and several letters of understanding.
“The flexibility of our pilots and their unwavering commitment to safety in every mission are central to why our company continues to succeed,” said Capt. Jeremy Keyes, the pilots’ MEC chair. “Our distinctive business approach has once again set the stage for continued growth. However, as our carrier expands, so must our contracts. We’re fortunate to have a strong Negotiating Committee in place, working closely with the MEC to achieve a competitive contract for the pilot group.”
Kalitta pilots have played a pivotal role in emergency relief, including being the only nonmilitary aircraft airborne in the U.S. after the 9/11 attacks. In 2020, they helped evacuate nearly a thousand Americans from Wuhan, China, using B-747 freighters during the early COVID-19 pandemic. They also transport various cargo across the globe, including damaged aircraft engines needing repair.
