Pilots at US carrier United Airlines will get a pay increase of up to +40% over four years, including benefits and other improvements in working conditions. It is the positive outcome of the negotiations between the airline's management and the Air Line Pilots Association (Alpa) union. Cabin crew approved the company's contract proposal, worth 10.2 billion dollars, with 82 percent support.

This year, pilots at American Airlines and Delta Air Lines also reached new contractual agreements that include pay raises and other improvements to working conditions. These union agreements have come in a period of general recovery in travel demand, a context in which airlines are trying to hire and train as many pilots as possible.

Also because during the pandemic, with planes grounded, many of them had been sent into early retirement and others had not had their contracts renewed. Now airlines are preparing for a wave of future retirements. The new contract signed by United is also intended to trigger provisions in the new agreements that require the companies to match or exceed each other's salaries.