iAero Airways
iAero B-737s and a B-767 lined up at Valley International Airport. Photo: Capt. Robert O’Donnell (iAero)
At A Glance
Pilots joined ALPA: 2022
Number of pilots/flightcrew members: 198
Pilot base: Home-based; Phoenix and Mesa, Ariz.; San Antonio, Tex.; Alexandria, La.; and Cincinnati, Ohio
Hubs/key markets: iAero operates vacation tours and charters for the U.S. government, the National Hockey League, the National Collegiate Athletic Association, and others both domestically and internationally. The carrier also transports cargo for DHL.
Headquarters: Greensboro, N.C., and Miami, Fla.
Operations: Greensboro, N.C.
Fleet: 23 B-737-300s/-400s, 14 B-737-800s, and 1 B-767-300
In January 2023, iAero Airways pilots sent a notice to bargain to the company and in February sat down at the table with management for their first official negotiating session. The parties have been meeting on a monthly basis to achieve the pilot group’s first collective bargaining agreement.
Unfortunately, the airline experienced some challenges last year that directly impacted the pilot group. In September, iAero filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. The company is pursuing an asset sale and a reorganization as an alternative, but either plan would require court approval. As of early this year, the sale bid deadline has been extended twice, with no dates set for the sale hearing or bankruptcy plan confirmation (which would mark the end of bankruptcy proceedings). To management’s credit, it’s never asked to pause negotiations during the bankruptcy and has signed off on several tentative agreements.
In the last half of 2023, the company lost U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement flying for its Mesa, Ariz., and Harlingen, Tex., bases and closed its Miami, Fla., and Harlingen bases, creating an increase in home-based pilots. Despite these difficulties, the pilots look forward to securing their first collective bargaining agreement.
