Allegiant Air pilots will hold a nationwide informational picket on Tuesday to demand a fair contract.
Teamsters say the airline is losing experienced pilots due to stalled negotiations and concessions.
VPS is among the 22 Allegiant bases where pilots will gather with signs and hold demonstrations.
DESTIN, FL (November 18, 2025) — Allegiant Air pilots, represented by Teamsters Local 2118, will hold a nationwide informational picket on November 18 at 10:00 a.m. local time to call attention to what they describe as ongoing delays and stagnation in contract negotiations with the company. The coordinated demonstrations will occur at all 22 Allegiant pilot bases across the United States, including at Destin–Fort Walton Beach Airport (VPS), where pilots will gather near the airport’s shuttle pickup and drop-off area.
More than 1,400 Allegiant pilots are participating in the action. According to the Teamsters, Allegiant management has continued to request concessions and impose delays while making substantial investments in fleet expansion, marketing, and other corporate initiatives. Pilots say those investments have not translated into fair compensation, improved scheduling, or better long-term stability for the workforce responsible for operating the airline’s rapidly growing network.
Union leaders note that the lack of progress in negotiations is contributing to a growing retention problem. Allegiant pilots—many with years of experience flying at the airline—are leaving for competitor carriers offering more competitive pay structures, predictable scheduling, and stronger retirement and quality-of-life protections. This attrition, the union warns, threatens Allegiant’s ability to maintain service reliability, especially in smaller communities that rely heavily on the airline.
“Our pilots have shown up for Allegiant through rapid growth, operational challenges, and ever-increasing passenger demand,” said representatives from Teamsters Local 2118. “We are simply asking for a fair, industry-competitive contract that reflects our experience and dedication. When pilots leave, routes suffer—and the communities Allegiant serves feel the impact first.”
The picket is strictly informational, and pilots will not disrupt scheduled flights. Instead, they say the goal is to demonstrate unity and remind Allegiant leadership that their frontline workers expect respect, transparency, and a meaningful commitment to negotiations.
Pilots at the demonstrations will hold signs that highlight their concerns about management priorities, including messages such as:
“Allegiant Air: Bad Bets in Vegas, Bad Bets in Management”
“Allegiant Management Wastes Millions, Pilots Still Waiting”
Teamsters officials say the company’s current proposal fails to address compensation that has not kept pace with industry standards, insufficient protections for scheduling predictability, and a lack of long-term commitments needed to retain qualified aviators. They argue that Allegiant’s approach not only harms pilots but ultimately affects the traveling public through potential staffing shortages, reduced frequency, and route cuts.
“Without pilots, their planes don’t fly,” the union emphasized. “We want Allegiant to succeed—but that success must include investing in the people who fly the airplanes, not just the planes themselves.”
WHAT:
Allegiant Air Teamsters Informational Picket
WHEN:
Tuesday, November 18, 2025
10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. local time
WHO:
Allegiant Air Pilots represented by Teamsters Local 2118
WHERE:
Destin–Fort Walton Beach Airport
1701 State Road 85 North
Eglin AFB, FL 32542
Shuttle Pickup/Drop-Off Area
ABE, ATW, AVL, BLI, BNA, CVG, DSM, FLL, FNT, GRR, IND, IWA, LAS (Allegiant HQ), PGD, PIE, PIT, PVU, SAV, SFB, SRQ, TYS, and VPS.
Teamsters Local 2118 says pilots will remain committed to engaging in good-faith negotiations and hopes the picket will encourage Allegiant to return to the bargaining table with proposals that acknowledge the value of their workforce and the essential role pilots play in the airline’s long-term success.
Pro Communi Bono
St. Francis De Sales, Ora Pro Nobis!
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