JetBlue pilots to focus on standalone contract after merger turbulence

JetBlue pilots, represented by the Air Line Pilots Association union (ALPA), will renew their focus on negotiating a standalone contract with the airline following the uncertainty surrounding the company's M&A with Spirit Airlines. The pilots had previously focused on negotiating a joint collective bargaining agreement for a combined JetBlue-Spirit pilot group. When the merger had been initially proposed, pilots had proposed a short-term extension over a full-comprehensive contract. With the merger, JetBlue pilots had anticipated a join collective bargaining agreement post-merger. ALPA chair of JetBlue unit Justin Houck said: ""However, the court decision in January has altered the landscape significantly. Without the merger, our attention must shift to attaining our contractual objectives as a single unified pilot group."" In January, 2023, JetBlue pilots ratified a short-term contract extension that focused on immediate economic improvements ensuring that the JetBlue pilot pay would remain in line with the market for pilot compensation during the merger process. The statement read: ""Since that extension, pilots at other airlines - including at Delta and United - have negotiated contracts that not only further improve their compensation but also work rules, quality of life, and benefits."" Houck added: ""While the contract extension last year served as a temporary measure during the merger process, it was never intended to substitute for a comprehensive contract."" In January, 2024, a US federal court in Boston issued a permanent injunction against the proposed merger between JetBlue and Spirit, thus blocking the move. Both airlines have filed for an appeal and will submit oral argument in June. Houck said: ""In the event the merger does not go forward, JetBlue pilots are ready to achieve the full collective bargaining agreement they have earned."" A decision on the appeal is expected to be made before the July 24, 2024 termination date for the merger agreement.