Ravn Alaska

A Ravn Alaska de Havilland Dash 8-106 prepares to depart St. Mary’s Airport.

The pilots of Ravn Alaska/dba Northern Pacific are some of ALPA’s newest members. In June 2022, 84 percent of eligible Ravn Alaska pilots voted in favor of joining the Association. Shortly afterward, the National Mediation Board certified ALPA as the official bargaining representative for the pilot group. The pilots had previously been unrepresented.

By October, the pilots had elected Capt. Dustin Mingo as captain representative and Master Executive Council (MEC) chair and F/O Patrick Mims as MEC secretary-treasurer. In November, F/O Brian Reedy was elected as interim first officer representative. Their terms end Feb. 28, 2025.

“ALPA was our first and only choice when Ravn Alaska pilots considered organizing,” said Mingo. “ALPA’s reputation is renowned, and we felt the Association offered the best resources for our small pilot group.” Ravn pilots wanted direct involvement in decisions affecting their quality of life while ensuring that their pay and benefits remain competitive. “Ravn is a great place to work and offers a unique, home-every-night schedule while affording pilots the opportunity to live and play in the beautiful state of Alaska. With the current demands of the airline industry, we wanted to ensure that we were able to work with management in honoring the lifestyle that comes with living in Alaska and flying for Ravn,” added Mingo.

“Since our team came on as the pilot group’s permanent representatives, we’ve been consistently impressed with ALPA and the extensive resources it has to offer our pilots, along with the professional staff members and the expertise they provide.”

After the pilots voted for ALPA representation, the carrier raised pilot pay by $30 per hour for captains and $10 per hour for first officers to attract and retain pilots. “Positive changes were also made to personal time off and types of time credited,” remarked Mingo. “We’re optimistic about seeing similar improvements to scheduling and benefits in the interim while we negotiate our first-ever collective bargaining agreement.”

In the year ahead, the MEC hopes to conduct strategic planning and begin contract negotiations. The pilots’ objective is to secure a contact with enhanced compensation and benefits that will help attract new pilots and address pilot attrition.

The new year should also bring continued growth for the airline, which has purchased several B-757s with the goal of expanding into international markets that want access to Alaskan tourism.

“In theory, international tourists could board a Ravn jet and connect to a Ravn Dash 8 to access premier destinations for fishing, wildlife viewing, and exploring,” Mingo said. “This offers our pilots a unique opportunity. They would start in an FAR Part 135 environment and move through the fleet to an international jet, all while enjoying an enviable schedule and quality of life. We want to help navigate this new expansion and help guide decisions that will affect us all.”

Ravn Alaska is a regional carrier with a long history in the state and is the largest passenger airline headquartered in Anchorage, Alaska. It operates scheduled passenger and cargo service to Aniak, Cold Bay, Dutch Harbor, Homer, Kenai, Sand Point, St. Mary’s, St. Paul Island, Unalakleet, and Valdez with charter flights available to most locations in the state. The airline provides daily flights aboard its de Havilland Canada Dash 8-100/300 fleet.