Frontier
Frontier pilots hold an informational picket in front of Frontier Airlines headquarters in Denver, Colo. Photo: Will Weeks, Stone’s Throw Productions
At A Glance
Pilots joined ALPA: 2016
Number of pilots: 2,180
Pilot bases: Denver, Colo.; Dallas, Tex.; Phoenix, Ariz.; Las Vegas, Nev.; Orlando, Tampa, and Miami, Fla.; Philadelphia, Pa.; San Juan, P.R.; Atlanta, Ga.; Chicago, Ill.; and Cleveland and Cincinnati, Ohio
Hubs/key markets: Orlando, Fla.; Las Vegas, Nev.; and Denver, Colo.
Headquarters: Denver, Colo.
Operations: Frontier serves approximately 120 destinations in the U.S., Caribbean, Mexico, and Central America.
Fleet: 8 A320-200s, 82 A320neos, 21 A321-200s, and 39 A321neos with 49 A320neos and 119 A321neos on order
With a six-year-old contract that became amendable at the beginning of 2024 and Frontier Airlines pilots in negotiations for more than 18 months, contract talks have stalled with management dragging its heels at every opportunity. No sections have been tentatively agreed to since November 2023. Despite the pilot group providing a comprehensive economic proposal over a year ago that would have brought the Frontier pilots’ contract in line with those of their peers, management has yet to offer a comprehensive response, with its piecemeal proposals thus far coming in as cost-neutral, if not concessionary, asks.
“As we move toward the close of our second year of negotiations, it’s unacceptable that our company continues to lowball our pilots,” said Capt. Michael Maynard, the pilot group’s Master Executive Council (MEC) chair. “From what we’ve seen at the table, it appears that management has no authority to bargain and no interest in reaching a deal that would benefit both the pilots and the company.”
In November, the pilot group brought this frustration to the doorstep of Frontier Airlines. Following a 99 percent approval to strike, if necessary, more than 200 pilots stood in front of Frontier Airlines headquarters demanding that management come to the table with a deal that recognizes the pilots’ contributions to the airline’s success. The group has also launched a nationwide tour of its mobile strike bus to foster public awareness of management’s refusal to bring Frontier pilots into parity with their counterparts at other airlines.
“Management seems to think that Frontier pilots can be lulled into accepting a substandard contract,” Maynard remarked. “This isn’t, nor will it ever be, the case. Our pilot group is committed to achieving the contract we’ve earned.”
