United, Pilots Union Reach Contract Agreement

United Airlines has reached a new contract agreement with its pilots union, the first major commercial carrier to do so since the pandemic began nearly two-and-a-half years ago according to CNBC.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed but are believed to include higher pay, especially in the face of the current pilot shortage, which was fueled by the pandemic and an already aging pilot workforce.

“United Airlines was the only airline to work with our pilots union to reach an agreement during COVID,” United CEO Scott Kirby said in a LinkedIn post. “It’s not surprising that we are now the first airline to get an Agreement in Principle for an industry leading new pilot contract.”

In large part, that was forged by a good working relationship between the airline and the pilots since the pandemic began, as United kept most of its pilots on staff and training. It also helped that the carrier opened its own flight training school, the United Aviate Academy,

The pilots will vote on the contract shortly.