unaligned

Pilots at Allegiant Air are threatening to strike over what they claim is foot-dragging by the company on installing a new crew schedule-bidding system, while the airline insists the process is moving along. As part of a five-year contract ratified in July 2016, the pilots and the airline agreed to hammer out the specifics of a new preferential bidding system (PBS) and implement software within six months. But nearly two years later, the current, in-house PBS remains in place, and pilots say the airline is to blame. The union said the current system “goes against industry standards and disregards pilots’ seniority and preferences” by requiring pilots to fly on certain heavy days, regardless of their preference. Pilot preferences are often over-ridden in favor of company needs, with the so-called “must-fly” days taking priority. The airline counters that pilots have long known that must-fly days are part of Allegiant’s scheduling, because of the airline’s unique service patterns, such as clustering flights in and out of certain markets to specific days of the week. <br/>

Scottish regional carrier Loganair recorded its first annual loss for 17 years in 2017-18—the cost of a breakup with larger regional partner Flybe. Its chairman said the loss had been predicted. Glasgow-based Loganair operates a network of routes throughout the Scottish Highlands and Islands, as well as services to elsewhere in the UK and Norway. It incurred a pre-tax loss of GBP8.9m for the year ended March 31, 2018. Net loss figures were not provided. The deficit, Loganair said, was the result of the aftermath of the breakup of a franchise agreement with Exeter-based Flybe and subsequent competition from its former partner on key routes. Loganair now operates once again under its own name, after a lengthy period as a franchise operator for other carriers.<br/>