Pilots aim to join the profit party; Hawaiian Airlines in tough pilot talks as profits improve

The record profits that US airlines are enjoying from lower fuel costs are being shaded by weaker passenger unit revenues and labour discontent as work groups at various airlines strive for market rates that are on an upward slope.

Some of the higher-profile negotiations include pilot collective bargaining at Delta and Southwest. Pilot groups at each airline have rejected contract proposals during the past year, and are currently requesting wage increases that they believe will put them on par with the industry average; an average which has been growing due to contracts brokered by their competitors, American and United.

Even airlines that have typically enjoyed positive pilot relations are encountering higher levels of turbulence in their latest round of talks. Hawaiian Airlines' pilots have been especially vocal during the current round of negotiations, the pilots voicing their frustration over lower rates of pay versus the airline's competitors.