JetBlue Airways pilots have "overwhelmingly" backed a two-year contract extension that provides a compensation increase of 21.5% over 18 months, according to the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA).
"This contract extension provides unprecedented pay increases for JetBlue pilots across the board and recognises the contributions of JetBlue pilots to the success of this airline, including the planned merger with Spirit Airlines,” said Chris Kenney, chair of the JetBlue unit of ALPA.
The vote came after a December 14 tentative agreement between pilots and management that was aimed, ALPA said, at putting pilots "in a strong position for future negotiations for either a joint collective bargaining agreement with the pilots at Spirit Airlines or, should the merger fail to conclude, a comprehensive standalone collective bargaining agreement".
“As pilots at several other airlines continue to negotiate new contracts, this agreement puts the JetBlue pilots with our peers at the top of the industry," said Kenney.