Southwest Airlines, pilot union reach tentative agreement on new contract

Southwest Airlines and its pilot union reached a tentative agreement on a new contract that would provide aviators with a 50% pay raise over the next four years.

On Thursday, the Southwest Airlines Pilots Association (SWAPA) board of directors agreed to send the agreement to its 11,000-plus pilot membership for consideration.

The decision to do so was based on the board's belief that the agreement, which would run through December 2028, "achieves the goals of the pilot group, provides security for their families, and rewards their industry-leading productivity."