DALLAS (AP) — Southwest Airlines on Sunday said it reached an agreement with its pilots' unions that will combine its seniority list with that of AirTran Airways, which the Dallas-based company bought in May.
The deal between Southwest, the Southwest Airlines Pilots' Association and the Air Line Pilots Association must be approved by both unions' boards and ratified by their memberships.
The deal is notable because it develops a transition plan for the pilots of both carriers outside of arbitration, which is "rare in this industry," said Mike Van de Ven, Southwest chief operating officer, in a statement.
Capt. Jim Morris of the Air Line Pilots Association said the details of the deal are still being finalized, and must be presented to the union's executive council. He did not have a date for that presentation, but said it would be in the coming weeks, followed by presentation to the membership for a vote. A representative of the Southwest Airlines Pilots' Association could not immediately be reached for comment.
Southwest bought rival discount carrier AirTran on May 2 for $1 billion. The carrier said Sunday it is continuing to work toward combining operations.
For now, travelers will continue to deal with whichever airline sold them their tickets. And policies such as checked bag fees will stay the same for now. AirTran charges for checked baggage, while Southwest allows two bags for free.
Southwest said in May it plans to begin painting AirTran planes in Southwest colors next year.
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