Alaska, Hawaiian Pilot MECs Approve Tentative Joint Contract

The proposed agreement will now go before the combined membership for a ratification vote.

Alaska and Hawaiian aircraft. (Photo: Alaska Airlines)
Gemini Sparkle

Key Takeaways:

  • Pilots from Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines have reached a tentative agreement on a joint collective bargaining compact.
  • The proposed agreement has been unanimously approved by union leadership and will now proceed to a ratification vote by the combined pilot membership from December 1st to 22nd.
  • This contract represents a significant step in integrating the workforces following the 2024 merger of Alaska and Hawaiian Airlines.
See a mistake? Contact us.

Pilots at Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines are one step closer to a deal that will bring both work groups together under a single labor contract.

ALPA announced Wednesday that its Alaska and Hawaiian master executive councils unanimously approved a tentative agreement on a joint collective bargaining compact. The two councils had been negotiating since February 2025.

The proposed agreement will now go before the combined membership for a ratification vote.

Details of the agreement were not immediately available to the public.

Union officials said they worked to address the priorities of both work groups and have established a “contractual foundation for their future as a combined workforce.”

“This TA is the result of more than 600 days of challenging negotiations, countless hours of work by our volunteers, and an unwavering commitment to the pilots we represent,” Drew Coyle, the Alaska MEC chair, said in a statement. “Our Joint Negotiating Committee remained focused on the priorities of both pilot groups while working through some of the most complex issues facing our combined membership. Nothing about this process was easy. Now it’s our pilots’ turn to review the agreement, ask the tough questions, and decide whether it meets their expectations.”

Ratification voting starts Dec. 1 and closes Dec. 22.

Alaska and Hawaiian merged in 2024 and received a single operating certificate from the FAA in 2025. This effectively transformed Hawaiian from an independent airline to a brand under Alaska Air Group. Alaska has pledged to maintain Hawaiian’s brand identity, and Hawaiian retains a separate corporate leadership based in Honolulu.

The two brands have continued to integrate however, with Alaska now making use of long-haul aircraft originally owned by Hawaiian. Earlier this year, Alaska implemented a single passenger service system.

Zach Vasile

Zach Vasile is a writer and editor covering news in all aspects of commercial aviation. He has reported for and contributed to the Manchester Journal Inquirer, the Hartford Business Journal, the Charlotte Observer, and the Washington Examiner, with his area of focus being the intersection of business and government policy.
Sign-up for newsletters & special offers!

Get the latest stories & special offers delivered directly to your inbox

SUBSCRIBE