JetBlue pilots reject tentative agreement for American Airlines partnership

JetBlue Airways pilots voted to reject a tentative agreement that would have given the airline contractual relief to implement its planned partnership with American Airlines Group, their union said Tuesday. New York-based budget carrier JetBlue and international major American Airlines announced plans for a strategic tie-up in July to give them more muscle in the US Northeast as the industry plots its recovery from the coronavirus pandemic. For any agreement to proceed, the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) representing JetBlue pilots said management must provide assurances over job safety. “Job security, especially during turbulent points in our industry, is a main concern of every pilot,” Chris Kenney, chairman of the JetBlue unit of ALPA, said. “We are disappointed in the results of the vote,” a JetBlue spokesman said, noting the company and ALPA had worked together on the tentative agreement. “We are committed to our alliance with American Airlines and plan to move forward so we can deliver its benefits to both crewmembers and customers,” he said.<br/>