Transat pilots accept deal to return to work

Pilots at Canada’s low-cost vacation specialist Air Transat have accepted a new contract, clearing a path for them to return to work when the airline resumes service, now scheduled for 30 July. The carrier’s pilots’ union, Air Line Pilots Association, International (ALPA), says on 12 July that 87% of voting Transat members accepted the agreement. “Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, global travel restrictions and an extended negotiation between the government and our employer to secure much-needed assistance, this latest development is a positive sign for our members, and all Canadians, that a return to normalcy is closer than it has been since the beginning of the pandemic,” ALPA says. It does not provide details about the agreement. “The first recalls of pilots have already begun in order to start their training — as the resumption of flights continues to increase with each step forward with regards to the easing of travel restrictions,” the union adds.<br/>