Spirit Airlines Pilots Walk Off Job
Last Updated 7:39 a.m. ET
Spirit Airlines pilots went on strike Saturday in a dispute over pay, and the discount carrier immediately canceled all of its flights for the day.
The walkout and cancellations were expected to affect thousands of travelers. Spirit flies from several airports in the eastern U.S., through Fort Lauderdale, Fla. to points in the Caribbean and Latin America.
Talks were extended past a midnight deadline, but pilots walked out after the last extension expired at 5 a.m. EDT.
The extensions were "in order to review final proposals put forth by both parties to keep the airline running. In the end, both sides could not reach an agreement," said Sean Creed, a Spirit captain and the head of the airline's branch of the Air Line Pilots Association, in a statement on the union's website.
He said pilots "will not return to the cockpit until a fair and equitable contract is negotiated."
The company said it offered to raise pilot pay by 30 percent over five years. It would have included work rule changes but would have retained a four-day break between every pilot trip, something the company said no other ALPA contract has. The offer also included a $3,000 signing bonus and a larger retirement plan match.
"We are frustrated and disappointed that our pilots have turned down an over 30 percent increase at a cost of over $70 million over five years while disrupting thousands of our customers and jeopardizing the livelihoods of our over 2,000 employees," Spirit President and CEO Ben Baldanza said in a written statement.
Spirit pilots have said their pay lags competitors such as AirTran Airways and JetBlue. The two sides have been in negotiations for more than three years.
Spirit said it was refunding fares for Saturday flights plus a $100 credit toward future flights. As recently as Tuesday it had said it was "partnering with other air carrier providers to continue to serve our customers."
Privately-held Spirit runs roughly 150 flights a day, making it much smaller than major carriers like Delta Air Lines Inc., with 6,200.
The airline has about 440 active pilots and is based in Miramar, Fla. It dubs itself an ultra low-cost carrier, and says some of its tickets go for $9. It attracted notice recently when it announced that beginning Aug. 1 it would charge passengers up to $45 for carry-on bags.
For more info:
spiritair.com
© 2010 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Spirit Airlines pilots went on strike Saturday in a dispute over pay, and the discount carrier immediately canceled all of its flights for the day.
The walkout and cancellations were expected to affect thousands of travelers. Spirit flies from several airports in the eastern U.S., through Fort Lauderdale, Fla. to points in the Caribbean and Latin America.
Talks were extended past a midnight deadline, but pilots walked out after the last extension expired at 5 a.m. EDT.
The extensions were "in order to review final proposals put forth by both parties to keep the airline running. In the end, both sides could not reach an agreement," said Sean Creed, a Spirit captain and the head of the airline's branch of the Air Line Pilots Association, in a statement on the union's website.
He said pilots "will not return to the cockpit until a fair and equitable contract is negotiated."
The company said it offered to raise pilot pay by 30 percent over five years. It would have included work rule changes but would have retained a four-day break between every pilot trip, something the company said no other ALPA contract has. The offer also included a $3,000 signing bonus and a larger retirement plan match.
"We are frustrated and disappointed that our pilots have turned down an over 30 percent increase at a cost of over $70 million over five years while disrupting thousands of our customers and jeopardizing the livelihoods of our over 2,000 employees," Spirit President and CEO Ben Baldanza said in a written statement.
Spirit pilots have said their pay lags competitors such as AirTran Airways and JetBlue. The two sides have been in negotiations for more than three years.
Spirit said it was refunding fares for Saturday flights plus a $100 credit toward future flights. As recently as Tuesday it had said it was "partnering with other air carrier providers to continue to serve our customers."
Privately-held Spirit runs roughly 150 flights a day, making it much smaller than major carriers like Delta Air Lines Inc., with 6,200.
The airline has about 440 active pilots and is based in Miramar, Fla. It dubs itself an ultra low-cost carrier, and says some of its tickets go for $9. It attracted notice recently when it announced that beginning Aug. 1 it would charge passengers up to $45 for carry-on bags.
For more info:
spiritair.com
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10 Comments Add a Comment
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- This airline should be forced out of business. They are anti-customer.
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- I'm willing to bet that the salaries they are getting right now are far better than most people that have a regular job.
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- Same reason a doctor earns more than most people. Education is very expensive.
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- More union thugs putting a gun to our heads and demanding more pay. Unions are worst than the Mafia!!!!! Let's get rid of all unions NOW!!!!!
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- Bet the 29 miners would have supported the union if given a chance now. Just one weeks wages from that 16 thousand dollar an hour ceo would have more than likely saved their lives. He beat their union down years ago. Probably wore his US flag shirt and waived a bible while doing it.
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- I was scheduled for one of these cancelled flights to Saint Thomas today. It cost me an extra $1250 to re-book for two for the next day, and I lost a day of vacation. Spirit offered no notice and no contingency plan. What's worse is that Spirit has flat out declined to pay any compensation beyond a ticket refund. Gee, thanks for that at least. I filed a complaint with the DOT, but they apparently have no power to help. First of all, please don't EVER fly with Spirit. Second, if you are someone who experienced what I did today, please let me know of any group or website that might be forming to take on the giant legally.
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- You need to hear what Captain Sully had to say. I say good luck pilots. Stand your ground!
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- Oh boy, rocket science. Double pilots pay means higher ticket costs, means less passengers, means less money to pay pilots, equals chapter 11 and out of business very quickly. People are part of this firm to get the biggest piece of the little market pie. When all are equal, there is no best deal. Sounds like the airline should do like that east coast school and fire them all and hire people who want to work. Pay raises and decent pay go without question, but gimme because they get paid more - doesn't cut it. Fire them all.
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- To Spirit Pilots: ya know, nobody is holding a gun to your head and making you work there. You were the one who decided to go work for a cheapie carrier with low salaries. You knew what you were getting into. Just quit and go somewhere else.
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- What will they charge me if I carry on a pilot?
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