PSA Pilot Agreement Raises the Bar for Pilot Pay
WASHINGTON, D.C.Pilots at PSA Airlines, represented by the Air Line Pilots Association, Intl (ALPA), today announced an agreement that substantially raises the bar for wages in the regional airline industry.
This agreement is the result of our mutual commitment to providing both our current and future pilots with the best possible career path in the airline industry, said Capt. Steven Toothe, chairman of the PSA ALPA Master Executive Council. Our first officers will see hourly wage rate increases of up to nearly 20 percent above the regional industry average. Our captains will see wage rate increases of up to 12 percent above the regional industry average.
In addition to increases of up to $12 per hour for all PSA pilots, highlights of the agreement include:
First-year first officer pay at $49.96 per hour, rising to $55.95 for a fourth-year first officer.
$18,000 signing bonus paid over two years.
Captain hourly pay increases to ensure that pilots continue to progress at competitive rates as they upgrade until they flow to American Airlines.
Premium pay for all hours flown above 75 per month.
The deal was reached even though the current collective bargaining agreement is not amendable until 2023. Rather, PSA management and the Association recognized the need to make improvements now to stay competitive in a rapidly changing regional airline environment.
We applaud PSA pilots and management for working together to create a competitive salary structure that will help attract and retain highly trained and qualified pilots. ALPA has long maintained that securing competitive wages, an adequate work/life balance, and career progression opportunities is key to attracting and maintaining a strong pipeline of pilots to the profession. Through this new agreement, PSA pilots worked to ensure that, from recruitment to retirement, their airline is a top contender for aviators at any stage of their career, said Capt. Joe DePete, ALPA president.
PSA has been undergoing dynamic growth. When the current contract was signed in April 2013, the Dayton-based carrier employed approximately 550 pilots. Now, more than 1,900 pilots are operating PSA flights under the American Eagle brand.
PSA Airlines is a wholly owned subsidiary of American Airlines and operates 150 regional jets on 800 daily flights to nearly 100 destinations, including bases in Washington, D.C.; Philadelphia, Pa.; Charlotte, N.C.; Knoxville, Tenn.; Dayton, Ohio; Cincinnati, Ohio; and Norfolk, Va.