ATI Pilots Seek Federal Mediation on Stalled Contract

The airline is a major contractor for Amazon and express carriers.

Thursday, March 23, 2023 at 10:53 AM ET

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Air Transport International operates a fleet of Boeing 767 converted freighters like this one. [Credit: Jim Allen/FreightWaves]

Key Takeaways:

Pilots at Air Transport International (ATI), a major cargo airline for Amazon Air, have requested federal mediation to resolve stalled contract negotiations with parent company ATSG.
The pilots are seeking industry-standard compensation and retirement benefits, alleging high attrition due to management's refusal to offer competitive terms despite ATI's record profits.
While ATSG aims for a balanced contract and denies issues attracting pilots, this move reflects a broader industry trend of pilots securing significant contract improvements at other airlines, though the mediation process prevents immediate operational disruptions.

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Editor’s Note: This article originally appeared on FreightWaves.com

Pilots at cargo airline Air Transport International, a large transport provider for Amazon Air, and parent company Air Transport Services Group last week asked the National Mediation Board to help broker stalled contract talks. The request comes nearly a month after union leadership representing FedEx pilots empowered itself to request a strike authorization vote from members.