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JetBlue raises flight attendant pay, union is of the same opinion to strengthen merger with Spirit

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JetBlue Airlines airplane are pictured at departure gates at John F. Kennedy Global Airport in New York.

Fred Prouser | Reuters

JetBlue Airlines stated it is going to elevate flight attendant pay subsequent yr and supply different bonuses to group of workers whilst the union representing cabin crews agreed to strengthen the provider’s plan to obtain funds provider Spirit Airways.

Beginning in November, flight attendants gets 5% raises. Together with any other 2% elevate, a slate of different incentives and up to now negotiated raises beneath flight attendants’ union contract, their raises in 2026 will compound to 21.5% will increase, consistent with an organization memo, which used to be observed via CNBC Friday.

The raises come because the New York-based provider is within the means of looking to gain Spirit, a merger the Justice Division has sued to dam. An ordeal for that lawsuit is about to start on Oct. 16 in Boston.

JetBlue agreed to not furlough or displace any flight attendants or shut any related bases for seven years after a possible acquisition of Spirit is going thru, the memo stated.

“The present contract used to be negotiated throughout COVID, and because then our inflight crewmembers pay charges have fallen under different airways via an important margin,” a JetBlue spokesman stated in a remark. “As a result of our inflight crewmembers play an important position in handing over the JetBlue revel in, it is vital that we are in a position to draw and retain fine quality crewmembers with aggressive pay and advantages.”

The union stated it might, in flip, strengthen the deliberate acquisition of Spirit.

“With this settlement made via your TWU Native 579 Government Board and JetBlue, we strengthen the JetBlue and Spirit transaction and won’t cling an extra informational wood or talk publicly in opposition to the purchase,” the union stated in a be aware to individuals.

JetBlue additionally agreed to further pay for group of workers that fly the provider’s trans-Atlantic routes and in its Mint business-class cabin, in addition to different incentives, consistent with a letter of settlement with the Delivery Staff Union, which represents JetBlue’s 7,000 flight attendants.