Allegiant Air pilots authorize strike, if necessary

Pilots at Allegiant Air, represented by the Airline Professionals Association (APA) Teamsters Local 1224, voted overwhelmingly, 465-8, Friday to authorize a strike against Allegiant Air.

The voting period closed Friday, with 98 percent of Allegiant Air pilots voting yes to authorize the union to call a strike if necessary.

"This does not mean that a strike is going to happen tomorrow or even next week," said APA Teamsters Local 1224 President Daniel Wells. "If Allegiant continues to stonewall in negotiations, then a pilot strike at Allegiant Air will be very realistic."

The pilots have been in negotiations with Allegiant Air for two years with little to no progress. Their first negotiation session began in December of 2012.

Teamster pilots with Allegiant Air conducted informational picketing on Tuesday at McCarran International Airport and Allegiant Air Corporate Headquarters in Las Vegas, as well as at St Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport and Fort Lauderdale International Airport in Florida, to make the public aware of their fight for infrastructural investments into Allegiant Air's operational systems, basic industry averages in salary and for other job protection measures that are standard in the airline industry.

Las Vegas-based Allegiant Air is one of the most profitable airlines in the world, reporting a profit for 47 consecutive quarters. Its executives are among the highest compensated in the industry, yet its pilots are among the lowest paid and are subject to substandard working conditions in comparison to the rest of the industry.

New Canadian airline orders five Boeing 737 MAX 7s

The Boeing Company and Jetlines announced an order for five 737 MAX 7s on Monday as the new Canadian ultra-low cost carrier builds its future fleet. The order, valued at $438 million at current list prices, includes purchase rights for an additional 16 737 MAXs.

The new airline, headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia, plans to tap into passenger demand by offering low cost airfares on routes that avoid direct competition with other airlines.

The 737 MAX incorporates the latest technology CFM International LEAP-1B engines, Advanced Technology winglets and other improvements to deliver the highest efficiency, reliability and passenger comfort in the single-aisle market. The 737 MAX 7 will be capable of flying more than 3,800 nautical miles, extending the range over today's 737-700 by approximately 400 nautical miles (741 kilometers).

With this order, the 737 MAX has orders for 2,562 airplanes from 55 customers worldwide.