Fellow Pilots,

The Mediator, Union and Company had a scheduled in-person mediation session in Washington, D.C. from October 20-22, 2025. The mediator was not present due to the government shutdown. The parties agreed to meet without the mediator. The Negotiating Committee attended the meeting in-person with the company’s attorney and negotiating consultant. Unfortunately, management decided not to attend the negotiations in-person and chose to attend the meeting virtually instead.

These sessions produced no new agreements and the vast majority of each of the three in-person sessions were squandered due to the company’s lack of preparation and internal dysfunction. The company did not present a comprehensive counterproposal, informing the Union that it had failed to cost out the Union’s comprehensive proposal or any of the company’s previous proposals. Additionally, the company failed to pass Section 15 as the Union repeatedly urged the management to do. The primary focus for the first two sessions was the value and defer items in Section 9 – Vacation, Section 10 – Sick, and Section 16 – Reserve. The final day was spent discussing the remaining open items in Section 12 – Vacancies.

The company informed the Union that it would not be able to provide a comprehensive counterproposal until it could complete “accurate” costing, despite nearly 4.5 years of negotiations and nearly a two-month advance notice of these bargaining dates. Management has insisted that their internal costing “experts” are critical to bargaining discussions. However, the company’s costing personnel were not available to meet with the Union’s costing expert (who was present in DC for three days) until well into the final day of bargaining, and then only for one hour over Zoom.

On a somewhat positive note, it appears that management has accepted that delaying negotiations because it cannot properly cost out its own proposals or respond to ours is inexcusable. Management informed the Union during the last session that it will immediately retain an outside firm to handle their costing going forward. That decision speaks volumes. Without saying it outright, management has effectively confirmed what we’ve known all along. When they were attacking the Union’s costing, which is accurate and supported by verifiable data, they were trying to hide a basic truth: Allegiant’s claims simply have no basis in fact. While we are somewhat encouraged that they’ve finally sought outside help at this late stage of negotiations, it is a stunning indictment of their own internal process and the false propaganda campaign that Allegiant officials waged against our Union and your NC. Hopefully, a greater reliance on qualified third party contractors and consultants on the company’s part will expedite these negotiations.

The company has indicated that they will be ready to resume bargaining when we reconvene during the week of November 10, 2025. The Union remains singularly focused on reaching a fair agreement before year’s end. Despite the Company’s continued dysfunction, our team remains united, data-driven, and unwavering in its resolve to deliver a contract that reflects your value and professionalism.

Stay engaged, stay informed, and stay confident. 

The facts and data are on our side — and so is our future.

In Unity,

Captain Joshua Allen
Negotiating Committee Chairman

Captain Jay Killen
Pilot Negotiator

Captain Brad Keller
Pilot Negotiator

Captain J.R. Lynch
NC Chief of Staff

Captain Jim Cole
Recording Analyst

Fellow Pilots,

“If the facts are against you, argue the law. If the law is against you, argue the facts. If the law and the facts are against you, pound the table, scream like crazy, and hope for the best”. -Unknown

Management must be the original author of this quote as their latest communication is the truest reflection of it. By now, you have had the time to read and digest management’s latest negotiations update. Some may be perplexed by management’s tone which, even for this management team, was decidedly more immature and incendiary than usual. If you consider the way that management was summarily embarrassed and delegitimized over the course of the last few days, you can better understand their reaction in an email that they likely wish they could take back. Worthy of note, not a single “company negotiating team” member was willing to put their name on or take ownership of their written masterclass of self-inflicted humiliation.

This week, the parties focused on costing. The company’s “costing analysis” was flat out wrong and embarrassingly so. Management’s analysis is so outlandish that it is impossible to believe that it was produced by a trained professional. Our economist credibly demonstrated that the company’s “analysis” was riddled with either amateurish errors or intentional falsifications. On average, individual item costs were inflated by more than 50% — with some exaggerated as high as 99%. Some of the more ridiculous statements that we heard from the company’s negotiators include:

“I think we were too aggressive in assuming that 100% of all sick time would be used.”

For perspective, management’s math shows that the cost of the Union’s proposal would somehow be hundreds of thousands of dollars more per pilot per year than industry-leading contracts on a relative basis. The company’s “work” is an insult to common sense. Their analysis had little factual basis to be deemed credible analysis, and the Union unequivocally demonstrated this fact. If this analysis was the same used to green light the Sunseeker Resort, we now better understand why it resulted in a colossal failure.

There was little room for disagreement with the Union’s analysis. When confronted with the facts, management was forced to painfully admit their errors in their own costing fantasy. They had no choice but to admit that they double-counted certain items and were “too aggressive” in costing numerous others. They were wrong and perhaps deliberately so. Avoiding accountability is one of management’s core values, so admitting their substantial errors, which our economist proved are material, must have been painful. Even still, management flat out refused to provide the Union with all of the requested information and data that their analysis is based on, including the formulas and assumptions it used to create such ridiculous numbers.

To further exaggerate the Union’s position, management has reversed its position and now claims that the retention bonus is a “cost” of the Union’s proposal. This is in direct contrast to their previous statements that the money was already “banked” away, accounted for, responsibly set aside and waiting to be paid. Apparently but unsurprisingly, this isn’t true. In fact, in the last few weeks the company quietly made a small, yet material change to the verbiage of your retention bonus emails that all but confirms this.

“Please find below an update on the retention bonus the company is banking for you until we achieve the ratification of a new collective bargaining agreement…” July 2025-previous

“Please find below the estimated retention bonus amounts the company is accruing based on your Position and Longevity…” August 2025.

This subtle but material change from “banking” to “accruing” exposes the truth: management, including the CEO, will spin any story necessary to suit their narrative. The Union’s prior concerns regarding the bonus are sustained. In a most magnificent display of financial ineptitude, it appears management never actually “banked” anything to prepare for the day they would actually have to pay the bonus. They are now using the $200M+ retention bonus payment, which they should have responsibly set aside, to further pad their already inflated claims of the Union’s proposal cost.

Management falsely claims that the Union’s Negotiating Committee told the company to “sell planes” to pay for the contract. That is a lie. When the company claimed that Allegiant was in a weak financial position, our economist held management accountable for CEO Greg Anderson’s own statements to our pilots regarding the financial condition and liquidity of the airline. In part, we read verbatim:

“Allegiant currently maintains over one billion dollars in available cash, as well as an additional billion dollars in fleet value that can be leveraged if necessary, demonstrating that the liquidity is there to fund your full retention bonus, which sits today around $160 million.” -Greg Anderson, CEO

Predictably, they retreated to the tired “bankruptcy” trope that they use as an excuse to delay a contract. To claim bankruptcy for a cost less than what management wasted on Sunseeker and other ridiculous pet projects is an insult to the dedication and hard work of every pilot on this property. Regardless, it was management who presented the idea of selling airplanes and “burning the furniture” to pay for the contract. Shockingly, the company’s negotiating team then completely threw their CEO right under the bus — and then drove over him when he was down just to be sure — by summarily dismissing Anderson’s referenced statement to pilots and claiming those numbers can’t be relied on and are misleading, in part because the one billion dollars in cash isn’t actually “available” (even stating “you know how these things go.”) After being humiliated, attacking the person who signs your checks appears to be management’s logical escalation.

In their update, management goes even further by implying that the mediator is on their side (in fact, mediators are neutral) and using thinly veiled attacks by repeatedly referring to “the Trustee and his appointed negotiators.” Appointed, elected, or otherwise is of no relevance to the company. It is clear that management is (now openly) advocating for the replacement of your Union representatives, and certainly not because management has your best interests at heart. Their only hope now is for a negotiating committee that they control who will kowtow and endorse a substandard contract. Questioning the method by which the Union selects committee members is a black and white attempt to interfere with internal Union affairs. This level of desperation has not been previously seen during these negotiations.

Despite their public temper tantrum, at the bargaining table management admitted that their costing analysis was wrong in many areas and thus not credible. After years of refusing to do so when requested by the Union, and being held accountable for their material misrepresentations, it was management who suggested on Friday that their costing expert should meet with ours “in person, with their laptops out.” The Union is happy to oblige.

Late in the evening on Friday, the company sent a comprehensive proposal to the Union. The mediator has requested that both parties refrain from discussing the particular details of the comprehensive proposal publicly until after the next mediation session. The Negotiating Committee will comply with the mediator’s request, but to temper any expectations, refer to the company’s last comprehensive offer from June 2024 for insight into what we received.

We hope that we have finally put the remaining rumors about the company’s bargaining behavior to bed, including:

“If the Union gives the company a comprehensive, management will negotiate much faster.” or “The Union is always unprepared and hasn’t costed anything.” or “The company will give you whatever you want, it’s your Union that won’t negotiate and ask for it.” or “Your retention bonus is set aside and already accounted for. It doesn’t affect bargaining.”

Management’s message exposed their true objective – avoid a new contract as long as possible, undermine the Union, and keep you working under an outdated contract for as long as possible. Regardless, the company’s desperation messaging and divide and conquer tactics simply won’t work.

Management is out of time, out of excuses, and running low on options. Their communications will be louder, more personal, and more targeted, as the company desperately tries every possible option to break you. They will do it themselves or use their proxies to attack you and your NC publicly. Don’t fall for it.

What’s Next: Mediation will resume in Las Vegas the week of September 22. Before then, the company’s costing expert and the Union’s economist will meet in-person as previously discussed. The Negotiating Committee remains prepared and dedicated to your goal – securing the long overdue contract that the Allegiant pilot group deserves and will receive through our collective strength and unity.

We will keep you updated with any new developments. Thank you for your support!

By Name and In Unity,

Captain Joshua Allen
Negotiating Committee Chairman

Captain Jay Killen
Pilot Negotiator

Captain Brad Keller
Pilot Negotiator

Captain J.R. Lynch
NC Chief of Staff

Captain Jim Cole
Recording Analyst

Fellow Pilots,

The Negotiating Committee met with the company and Mediator yesterday in order to discuss the Union’s July 16th, 2025 comprehensive proposal. The company asked questions on the remaining sections of the Union’s proposal that were not answered in our July 28th session. We look forward to receiving a counter proposal and hope that the company takes this opportunity to move us closer to an agreement. Once the NC has received a counter proposal, we will review it and provide feedback to the pilots on where we stand in relation to completing a full tentative agreement.

The parties also discussed dates for upcoming mediation sessions. Our next scheduled session with the mediator is on August 25, 28 and 29 followed by the week of September 22. The mediator also offered tentative dates for October which both the Company and the Union confirmed and are waiting for final approval by the mediator. The NC encourages the company to provide a counter proposal BEFORE the next mediation session in order to be more efficient in our limited time with the mediator. We have also let the company know that the NC will make ourselves available to meet outside of mediation should the company choose to do so.

We will provide an update as more information becomes available.

In Unity,

Captain Joshua Allen
Negotiating Committee Chairman

Captain Jay Killen
Pilot Negotiator

Captain Brad Keller
Pilot Negotiator

Captain J.R. Lynch
NC Chief of Staff

Captain Jim Cole
Recording Analyst

Fellow Pilots,

As you know, the Negotiating Committee has made the decision to pass a Comprehensive Proposal to the company. That proposal has officially been delivered.

Up to this point during negotiations, the Negotiating Committee’s core principle was to avoid concessions and protect or improve current working conditions and quality-of-life (QOL) prior to negotiating economics. This is standard bargaining strategy and is designed to prevent management from withholding increases in compensation until the Union makes work rule/QOL concessions. Our approach was not developed in a vacuum. Management negotiators, on many occasions, have told us that the pilots will pay for a portion of their compensation increases through scheduling concessions.

Despite management’s resistance, and within a very limited amount of mediation time (approximately 30 days of mediation over 15 months), the Union secured agreements on Section 14 – Hours of Service and Section 16 – Reserve and approximately 50% of Section 15 – Scheduling. We are now three mediators and over two years into the mediation process. After multiple efforts, including a lengthy “supposal” bargaining process and numerous small group meetings, the company continued to demand scheduling concessions resulting in an impasse on schedule solves. At the same time, management repeatedly insisted they could not make progress without a comprehensive proposal.

In April 2025, after four years of negotiations, the Union requested a status meeting and proffer of arbitration due to the company’s intractable position on scheduling. With discussions on scheduling and quality of life at a standstill and given the 10+ year history of labor disputes over scheduling at Allegiant, we believed the logical next step was to make our case to the NMB that we were at an impasse. In June, almost two months after filing, we received a letter from the NMB stating that we were to continue mediation while our request would “continue to be considered.” Subsequently, the mediator offered the parties three hours of virtual mediation on July 28, approximately a month after notifying the Union to continue mediation. The next available date(s) after the July virtual meeting are tentatively (i.e., “maybe”) in the last week of August. One three-hour virtual session in a month, and the possibility of a few additional dates in August is UNACCEPTABLE.

The NMB has not, and likely will not, have sufficient availability for the parties to get a deal done soon. Throughout the last 15 months, the NC has consistently asked the company to meet more often. If the company wanted to get a deal done, they would have taken us up on that offer. We will not get the contract done if we only meet three days a month. Even Maury told us in the past that a contract will not get done meeting once a month. The company knows this.

Having made significant improvements in both Sections 14 and 16 and agreeing in principle to many of the concepts in Section 15 we were at an impasse. We believe that the next logical step is to package the remaining open items into a comprehensive proposal for presentation to management. This proposal will either provide a basis for significant strides towards completing the agreement or strengthen our case that we are at an impasse. The company has told us on numerous occasions that without a comprehensive proposal they will not agree to any of the major outstanding scheduling items. You will soon find out if the company’s repeated claims (that they are willing to quickly move forward to reach an agreement on a CBA after receiving a comprehensive proposal) are true or just another management lie.

It’s time for the company to put up or shut up. When the decision was made to present a comprehensive proposal, the Union reached out to the company to request an in-person meeting in order to pass the comprehensive proposal before mediation. The meeting would, at a minimum, have given the company time to review the Union’s proposals, ask questions, and provide feedback, which would have given the company the ability to come to the mediation session prepared to negotiate. It would have also prevented wasting our limited mediation time. The company refused. Instead, the Company not only said that they had ZERO availability to meet with us to receive the proposal, but then subsequently released a disingenuous and blatantly dishonest update in which they said the Union “demanded” a meeting.

Quoted from recent Allegiant Labor Relations emails:

“…we continue to be singularly focused on our work toward reaching a new agreement and look forward to getting back to the bargaining table to receive responses to our latest scheduling proposals as soon as possible.” (May 9)

“We are pleased with the Board’s decision [to continue mediation while considering the Union’s request for a proffer] and look forward to getting back to the bargaining table as soon as possible to continue our work toward reaching a new collective bargaining agreement.” (June 13)

It is ironic that these quotes came from the same company that could not find a few hours in a two-week period to receive the Union’s proposal. Their words say one thing, but their behavior says something completely different! This does not seem like a company that is “singularly focused” on reaching a new agreement. If they believe that three days or less of mediation a month will result in a contract, on what timeline? The true answer is (and it is painfully obvious) that the company DOES NOT want a contract anytime soon and is relying on the lack of mediation dates to help drag out negotiations for as long as possible.

The company likes to use the line that “meeting outside of mediation is not productive.” Even if they genuinely believed negotiations outside of mediation would not be productive, there is NO REASON for the company to refuse to meet to receive a proposal and ask questions about it in order to make the next mediation session more productive. The company knows that there is no way that three hours is enough to even explain the full comprehensive proposal, much less have time to make any appreciable headway in negotiations. In order to give the company the best chance of being prepared for the upcoming mediation session, we have provided them with our comprehensive proposal two weeks in advance. The Union expects the company to prepare a counter proposal (the one that they have been “singularly focused” on) and present it at the scheduled mediation in July. Unfortunately, the company will likely find a reason why nearly two weeks advance notice is not enough time to prepare a response. With that said, the NC is standing by and will gladly schedule an in-person or virtual meeting with the company to answer any questions between now and mediation in two weeks.

Although not ideal, presenting a comprehensive proposal has the benefit of shining a light on many of the falsehoods being spread by management about how the NC is being unreasonable. We have and will continue to fight for your QOL and work rules, the same ones that keep many of us at Allegiant. You have earned it through numerous trials and tribulations, many of which were exacerbated by poor management decisions.

In full transparency of what we are fighting for on your behalf, we have included an executive summary outlining our proposals on the major open items. Additionally, we have attached an updated industry contract comparison which outlines current industry norms against both our comprehensive proposal and the company’s latest offer (from their Mailer 3.0/Contract Comparison), so that you can compare the proposals to what your peers receive at other major airlines. Please review the attached information. Our Pilot group is comprised of more than 1300 Pilots all of which have different opinions of what is acceptable or not. With that said, please direct your questions and comments to the NC at negotiations@apa2118.org.

 

 

The company said a comprehensive proposal will lead to progress. Now they have one. Standby for further communications from the NC.

Thank you for your support.

In Unity,

Captain Joshua Allen
Negotiating Committee Chairman

Captain Jay Killen
Pilot Negotiator

Captain Brad Keller
Pilot Negotiator

Captain J.R. Lynch
NC Chief of Staff

Captain Jim Cole
Recording Analyst

Fellow Pilots,

Yesterday, we reached out to the Company and indicated that we will provide a comprehensive proposal on the remaining open items of the contract. We offered to meet in person next week to answer any questions that the company may have; we are currently awaiting a response.

The Union’s positions have not changed. From day one, the Union has been willing to bargain fairly and in good faith. Unfortunately, the Company has taken a very different approach — one marked by delays, substandard and unrealistic proposals, and a general unwillingness to bargain fairly. The company claimed that, unlike the rest of the industry, they could not make any progress unless they received a comprehensive proposal.

Now, they will have no more excuses.

We’ve made every attempt to bargain fairly, including offering operational flexibility and pragmatic solutions unique to Allegiant’s business model. Instead of working together to close out this contract, they have instead engaged in surface bargaining and delay tactics.

The intent of our comprehensive proposal is to remove any remaining pretense for their continued stalling and inaction. We have heard the Company claim they are ready to make a deal if they could just see the full picture; they are about to have it. At this late stage of bargaining, we expect nothing less than for management to come prepared to reach an agreement without further delays and/or excuses. If their below market offers and deliberate procrastination continue, the fault will remain where it always has been — with management.

We continue to do everything possible to move this process toward a just and timely conclusion. Our goal has always been a fair agreement — nothing less, and certainly nothing that moves us backward or is worse than what we currently have.

We will not accept concessions! More to follow.

In Unity,

Captain Joshua Allen
Negotiating Committee Chairman

Captain Jay Killen
Pilot Negotiator

Captain Brad Keller
Pilot Negotiator

Captain J.R. Lynch
NC Chief of Staff

Captain Jim Cole
Recording Analyst