Release #: 24.5
August 09, 2024

It’s Time for an ATI Pilot Contract

WASHINGTON—Capt. Mike Sterling, chair of the Air Transport International (ATI) Master Executive Council of the Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l (ALPA), issued the following statement today after the second-quarter earnings call of ATI parent company Air Transport Services Group (ATSG):

“In their second-quarter earnings call, ATSG leadership once again touted Amazon flying as their largest profit center. The ATI pilots have earned the airline’s position as the largest Amazon carrier in the world, operating 45 percent of its air fleet, by delivering superior reliability and service—yet ATI and ATSG management refuse to invest in ATI pilots, risking Amazon’s reliability to its customers.

“In the earnings call, ATSG cited transitional costs in preparing ABX to acquire the Atlas Amazon aircraft as a reason for reduced profits, while here at ATI we already had that infrastructure in place. Management’s lack of foresight continues to damage careers at ATI and profits at ATSG.

“The ATI pilots have been in negotiations for a market-based contract for more than 1,500 days, and ATSG Chairman Joe Hete stated again today that the Company has no plans to reach an agreement before 2025. With these public statements, it is exceedingly difficult for management to defend their position before the National Mediation Board and at the bargaining table that they are ‘trying’ to reach agreement with ALPA pilots.

“In the last four years, experienced pilots have continued to leave ATI at unprecedented rates, with 468 pilots leaving the 565-pilot carrier since January 2022. ATI’s inability to retain captains has led to forced upgrades of unwilling first officers to staff the airline.

“Enough is enough. ATI and ATSG owe it to their largest customer, Amazon, to restore ATI as a strong, growing airline ready to support Amazon Air’s current and future needs. ATI management needs to make a comprehensive economic proposal that respects its most vital employees and brings stability to our staffing so we can continue to excel as Amazon Air’s largest carrier.”

Read After More than 1,500 Days in Negotiations, ATI Pilots Call on ATSG to Finalize Contract

Founded in 1931, ALPA is the largest airline pilot union in the world and represents more than 78,000 pilots at 41 U.S. and Canadian airlines. Visit ALPA.org or follow us on Twitter @ALPAPilots.

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CONTACT: ALPA Media, 703-481-4440 or Media@alpa.org