Cargojet
A Cargojet B-767F taxis at Mexico City International Airport. Photo: Cargojet LinkedIn
At A Glance
Pilots joined ALPA: 2021
Number of pilots: 430
Pilot bases: Hamilton, Ont., and Vancouver, B.C.
Hubs/key markets: Halifax, N.S.; Mirabel, Qué.; Winnipeg, Man.; and Calgary and Edmonton, Alb.
Headquarters: Mississauga, Ont.
Operations: As the largest all-cargo airline in Canada, Cargojet provides time-sensitive air cargo services to all major cities across the globe, transporting more than 25 million pounds of air freight each week. It has long-term strategic partnerships with Amazon, Canada Post, UPS Canada, DHL, and Purolator.
Fleet: 41 all-freighter aircraft, including 17 B-757-200s, 3 B-767-200s, and 21 B-767-300s, with 2 additional B-767-300s scheduled to arrive in 2025
As many ALPA pilot groups consider their futures going into 2025, the Cargojet Master Executive Council (MEC) is already plotting the course toward 2026.
While Cargojet is stable and profitable thanks to deals with DHL, Amazon, Canada Post, and several other major shippers, the pilots are bound to an eight-year collective agreement that was put in place prior to joining ALPA.
While other ALPA Canadian pilot groups have substantially improved their wages, benefits, and working conditions, Cargojet management has freely admitted to investors that the airline’s wages now lag 30–40 percent behind what’s competitive. Even with record hiring, attrition rates are very high. The carrier will begin 2025 at least 50 pilots short of the optimal number required to meet its operational needs. Management has responded to the hiring shortfall by circumventing the contract to force additional flying on current pilots while engaging in subcontracting and wet-leasing.
In 2025, the MEC hopes that management will see that an improved pilot contract will not only solidify the airline’s continued success, but will also provide security and upward mobility for its crews. In the meantime, the MEC continues to build its volunteer ranks and is preparing for negotiations in 2026 to secure a contract that makes Cargojet a career destination.
