United Airlines (UAL) Offers Staff Higher Pay Through January United Airlines (UAL) offers its pilots and flight attendants higher pay through January to encourage them to pick up more flying as it grapples with staffing shortages amid a spike...
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Amid Omicron-induced staffing shortages, United Airlines UAL is offering triple pay to its pilots who pick up extra trips in January, a CNBC report stated.
A spike in coronavirus cases, induced by the Omicron variant, has disrupted the peak holiday travel period for U.S. airlines. A large number of airline staff falling sick with COVID-19 infections has resulted in massive flight cancellations by airlines over the Christmas and New Year weekend. According to reports, U.S. airlines have canceled roughly 10,000 flights since Dec 24. Bad weather conditions in parts of the United States have also led to the cancellations.
Amid multiple flight cancellations, United Airlines reached an agreement with its pilots' union, the Air Line Pilots Association, offering pilots higher pay to cover open trips, Bryan Quigley, UAL's senior vice president of flight operations said in a staff note, which was seen by CNBC.
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Per the note, pilots are being offered three-and-a-half times their pay for flying open trips between Dec 30 and Jan 3, and thrice their pay for picking up trips between Jan 4 and Jan 29.
Per the CNBC report, United Airlines' pilots' union wrote to its members, "Due to the rapid spread of the COVID Omicron variant, we are currently seeing record levels of pilot sick calls." "The impact on the operation is clear and United has experienced a correspondingly large number of cancellations over the past week," the written note added.
United Airlines is also offering extra pay to its flight attendants to pick up trips. Other U.S. airlines are offering extra pay to their workers as well to reduce flight cancellations.
Spirit Airlines SAVE is offering double pay to its flight attendants for any work through Jan 4, Reuters reported.
As quoted by Reuters, the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, which represents about 4000 flights attendants at Spirit Airlines, said, "All flight attendants, regardless of how you have obtained your pairing, will be receiving 200% pay for any pairing that touches Dec. 28 through Jan. 4."
While United Airlines carries a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell), Spirit Airlines carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).
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