Air Transat reaches tentative agreement with flight attendants' union

Canadian leisure carrier Air Transat said on Thursday it had reached an in-principle agreement with the union representing its flight attendants, averting a possible strike during the busy holiday travel season. The deal to renew the Transat collective labor agreement, which is subject to a vote, comes as flight attendants at several US carriers protest for better pay and work rules in their new contracts. Transat's release said details of the agreement will be presented to members in the coming days. "Travelers can enjoy their travel plans with peace of mind," it said. United Airlines flight attendants, who are demonstrating nationwide on Thursday, as well as their counterparts at other carriers, like Transat, are demanding an end to an industry practice of not paying for their time during boarding and waiting around the airport before and between flights. Currently, they are paid only for the period when the aircraft is in motion. Delta is the only U.S. carrier that pays its flight attendants during boarding time. Earlier this month, flight attendants at Southwest Airlines (LUV.N) voted down a tentative five-year contract deal that would have made them the highest paid cabin crews in the industry. The agreement, however, did not provide for boarding pay.<br/>