Commercial Aviation
FedEx Reaches Tentative Labor Deal with Pilots After Five Years
FedEx and ALPA announce a tentative agreement with nearly 40% immediate pay raise for pilots, ending five years of negotiations and supporting network restructuring.
This article summarizes reporting by Reuters. The original report is paywalled; this article summarizes publicly available elements and public remarks.
On April 8, 2026, FedEx Corporation and the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) announced a tentative labor agreement covering more than 5,000 pilots. This breakthrough concludes nearly five years of complex and often contentious negotiations between the logistics giant and its flight crews.
According to reporting by Reuters, the proposed contract offers substantial financial gains for the pilots, including an immediate hourly pay increase of nearly 40%. The resolution arrives at a critical moment for FedEx as it navigates a massive corporate restructuring effort aimed at streamlining its global delivery networks.
Before taking effect, the tentative agreement must undergo a formal review by ALPA’s FedEx Master Executive Council (MEC). If approved by the council, the contract will be presented to the rank-and-file pilots for a final ratification vote.
Financial Terms of the Tentative Agreement
Immediate Raises and Future Increases
Based on union summaries and details highlighted by Reuters, the new collective bargaining agreement delivers significant top-line wage improvements. Pilots will receive a nearly 40% hourly pay increase effective in 2026. Furthermore, the contract outlines structured future earnings, with 3% annual pay raises scheduled to begin in 2028.
Retroactive Compensation
Because FedEx pilots have been operating under the terms of a contract established in 2015, the new agreement includes substantial retroactive pay to offset the prolonged negotiation period. According to industry reports, Captains are eligible to receive up to $150,000 in back pay, while First Officers could see up to $102,500.
The Long Road to a Deal
Rejected Proposals and Union Shifts
The path to this tentative agreement was fraught with delays. Formal negotiations for a new contract began in May 2021. By 2022, the National Mediation Board (NMB) stepped in to oversee the talks, a requirement under the Railway Labor Act. In 2023, the two sides reached a tentative agreement featuring a 30% pay increase over five years. However, rank-and-file pilots narrowly rejected that proposal over scheduling and outsourcing concerns. Following the rejection, union members ousted their Master Executive Council board, viewing the leadership as too aligned with management.
Escalating Tensions and Mediation
Tensions continued to mount throughout 2024 and 2025. In early 2024, the union petitioned the NMB to release both parties from mediation, a necessary procedural step before a strike could be authorized. The NMB denied this request in April 2024. By September 2025, frustrations culminated in the pilots issuing a formal vote of no confidence in FedEx Corp. CEO Rajesh Subramaniam. A newly formed union negotiating committee eventually resumed talks, leading to the April 2026 breakthrough.
Corporate Strategy and Industry Impact
Network Restructuring
This labor resolution is deeply intertwined with FedEx’s broader corporate strategy. The company is currently executing a multi-year plan to consolidate its ground and air-delivery networks to reduce costs and improve operational efficiency. Previously, the pilots’ union had expressed concerns that this integration could lead to scheduling disruptions and potential outsourcing of flight operations.
AirPro News analysis
We assess that while the nearly 40% immediate wage increase will undeniably raise operating costs for FedEx’s air division, the agreement is a net positive for the corporation’s long-term stability. By securing a contract with its 5,000-plus pilots, FedEx removes a major source of operational risk and investor uncertainty. Concluding this five-year labor dispute allows management to focus entirely on executing its complex network integration without the looming threat of a federally sanctioned strike.
In an official company press release, Richard W. Smith, COO of International and CEO of Airline at FedEx, praised the resolution:
“This tentative agreement reflects our commitment to our valued crew members and to our growth strategy for the airline and the business as a whole. It’s a win-win for our pilots, for FedEx, and for our customers around the world.”
Frequently Asked Questions
How much will FedEx pilots’ pay increase?
According to the tentative agreement, pilots will receive an immediate hourly pay increase of nearly 40% in 2026, followed by 3% annual raises starting in 2028.
What happens next with the tentative agreement?
The contract must first be reviewed by ALPA’s FedEx Master Executive Council (MEC). If approved, it will go to the more than 5,000 rank-and-file pilots for a ratification vote.
Sources
Airlines Strategy
United Airlines Fleet Seen Flying: 1,060 Aircraft in the AirPro Atlas
AirPro Atlas data shows 1,060 United Airlines aircraft seen flying from October 9 to November 4, 2026, 82% of them Boeing jets.
This is original reporting and analysis by AirPro News.
More United Airlines aircraft were seen flying this autumn than those of any other US airline in the AirPro Atlas. Between October 9 and November 4, 2026, receivers in the ADSB.lol network picked up 1,060 individual aircraft flying with United flight numbers, ahead of American Airlines with 1,002 and Delta Air Lines with 957.
That puts United at number 1 of the 77 US airlines the Atlas follows, ranked by aircraft seen flying. Southwest Airlines (772) and SkyWest Airlines (517) complete the top five.
These figures are not United’s registered fleet or an official count. They are the aircraft that ADS-B receivers saw operating United flights during the period, among the airliner types the Atlas follows. Aircraft leased with their crews count for the airline whose flight numbers they fly, and regions with few receivers are undercounted.
A Boeing airline, built around the 737
Of the 1,060 aircraft, 869 were Boeing jets (82.0%) and 191 were Airbus jets (18.0%). No other manufacturer appears in United’s count.
The Boeing 737 family alone accounts for 592 aircraft, or 55.8% of everything seen flying for the airline. The four largest groups are all 737 variants: the 737 MAX 9 (149 aircraft), the 737-900 (146), the 737-800 (136) and the 737 MAX 8 (122). Another 38 were 737-700s.
United’s Airbus flying comes from the A320 family: 67 A321neos, 64 A319s and 60 A320s, 191 aircraft in all.
Widebodies and the 757
Widebody aircraft made up 220 of the total, or 20.8%. The Boeing 787 led with 86 aircraft (53 787-9s, 21 787-10s and 12 787-8s), followed by the 777 with 83 (61 777-200s and 22 777-300ERs) and the 767 with 51 (35 767-300s and 16 767-400s).
The Boeing 757 is still part of the picture: 57 were seen flying for United, 36 of them 757-200s and 21 the longer 757-300. In all, the Atlas counted 18 different aircraft types under United flight numbers.
Eight hubs, one alliance
Wikidata lists eight United hubs: Denver International Airport (DEN), Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR), Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD), George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) in Houston, Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD), San Francisco International Airport (SFO) and Antonio B. Won Pat International Airport (GUM) in Hagåtña, Guam. The airline, founded in 1926, flies under the callsign UNITED and is a member of Star Alliance.
AirPro News analysis
The count shows how much of United’s operation rests on a single aircraft family. With 592 of 1,060 aircraft seen flying, the 737 carries more than half of the airline’s activity in the Atlas, and the 737 MAX 9 is the most common type on its own.
The gap at the top of the US market is narrow: United’s 1,060 aircraft against American’s 1,002 and Delta’s 957, so the order could change in a later count as aircraft go in and out of maintenance. Widebodies, at 220 aircraft or 20.8%, are about one in five of the aircraft seen flying for United, and the 787 is the largest widebody group, ahead of the 777.
Explore United’s hubs and fleet on the AirPro Atlas.
Commercial Aviation
Central China Longhao Airlines Launches UK Freighter Route
Central China Longhao Airlines begins twice-weekly Boeing 747-400 freighter service between Zhengzhou and East Midlands Airport.
Central China Longhao Airlines has launched a new twice-weekly Boeing 747-400 freighter service connecting Zhengzhou Xinzheng International Airport (CGO) with the UK’s East Midlands Airport (EMA), marking the Chinese state-owned carrier’s first gateway into the United Kingdom.
The inaugural flight touched down on November 2, 2026, according to a press release issued by East Midlands Airport on November 3. The new route expands the UK hub’s international cargo aircraft network and provides Air Central, as the airline is also known, with a strategic foothold to capitalize on the rapidly evolving Chinese air cargo market.
Expanding UK-China freight capacity
The introduction of the Zhengzhou to East Midlands route adds dedicated main-deck capacity between central China and the UK. Operating twice a week, the service utilizes Boeing 747-400 freighter aircraft.
East Midlands Airport Commercial Director Adam Andrews noted the significance of the new operator. “We’re really pleased to welcome Central China Longhao as a new airline operating to East Midlands as its gateway into the UK,” Andrews said in the airport’s announcement. He added that the carrier’s decision to launch operations at the hub provides evidence of the airport’s growing reputation within the Chinese air cargo sector.
East Midlands Airport’s cargo growth trajectory
The arrival of Central China Longhao Airlines aligns with a period of sustained cargo growth at East Midlands Airport. In September 2026, the airport recorded a 6.3 percent year-on-year increase in cargo volumes, handling an additional 36,000 tonnes compared to September 2025.
To support this ongoing expansion and manage long-term growth plans, the Manchester Airports Group (MAG) subsidiary is currently recruiting a new Head of Cargo Development. The airport leverages its central UK location and unrestricted 24/7 operational capability to attract international freight operators.
“We are continuing to attract more cargo operators, who understand that our great central location and available capacity helped by a 24/7 operation together make us an unbeatable proposition in the UK,” Andrews stated.
The Zhengzhou cargo hub connection
Central China Longhao Airlines, restructured and established by the Henan Civil Aviation Development & Investment Group in 2019, operates as a state-owned cargo airline based in Henan Province. The carrier plays a central role in developing the Zhengzhou international air cargo hub, operating a fleet that serves destinations throughout Asia-Pacific and Europe.
Zhengzhou Xinzheng International Airport serves as one of China’s primary cargo gateways and the busiest aviation hub in central China. In 2025, the facility handled approximately 1.03 million tonnes of cargo. The new direct link to East Midlands Airport facilitates increased trade flow between this Chinese manufacturing and logistics center and the UK market.
Route Development
TAV Airports Commits 315 Million Euros to Almaty Airport Expansion
TAV Airports signs a 315M euro deal with Kazakhstan for Almaty Airport phase two, bringing total investment to 572M euros.
TAV Airports and the Government of Kazakhstan signed a memorandum of cooperation on May 20, 2026, committing €315 million ($353.9 million) to the second-phase expansion of Almaty International Airport (ALA).
The agreement, announced in a company press release, brings the Turkish airport operator’s total completed and ongoing investments at the Central Asian aviation hub to €572 million ($642.5 million). The funding targets airside enhancements and operational upgrades scheduled for completion in 2027, supporting surging passenger traffic along the Middle Corridor route.
Expanding Central Asia’s busiest gateway
The second-phase investment program covers the 2025 to 2027 period and focuses on airside infrastructure and operational efficiency. Almaty International Airport serves as the primary hub for Kazakhstan flag carrier Air Astana and its low-cost subsidiary FlyArystan. As of late 2025, the facility handled 42 airlines connecting to 86 destinations across 30 countries.
Passenger volumes at the facility have grown rapidly. According to TAV Airports, the hub processed 11.9 million passengers in 2025. Recent data highlighted by TAV Airports CEO Serkan Kaptan during the Organization of Turkic States summit in November 2026 showed the airport handled 9.47 million passengers in the first nine months of 2026, driven by an 11 percent increase in international traffic.
Kaptan noted the strategic importance of the location for both regional connectivity and international freight.
“Almaty continues to grow both in passenger traffic and cargo as one of the key stops on the modern Silk Road extending from Asia-Pacific to Europe and Africa, and on the Middle Corridor, which is also of great importance for our country,” Kaptan said.
Turkish Airlines currently operates approximately 50 weekly flights to Almaty, including dedicated cargo aircraft services, while Pegasus Airlines maintains direct routes between Almaty and Turkish destinations including Istanbul and Antalya.
TAV’s transition from manager to owner
The Almaty expansion represents a distinct operational model for TAV Airports Holding, a member of Groupe ADP. When TAV acquired an 85 percent stake in the airport in April 2021, with the remaining 15 percent held by the Kazakhstan Infrastructure Fund, it marked the first facility in the company’s portfolio that it owns and operates outright rather than managing under a time-limited concession.
The operator inherited a facility serving approximately 6 million passengers annually. The first phase of TAV’s investment program, valued at €257 million ($288.7 million), concluded on June 1, 2024, with the opening of Terminal 2. The new international terminal and accompanying VIP facilities doubled the airport’s annual passenger capacity to over 14 million.
TAV Airports currently operates 15 airports across eight countries, providing integrated services including ground handling, security, and duty-free operations. The company reported serving 113 million passengers across its global portfolio in 2025.
AirPro News analysis
We view TAV’s deepening financial commitment in Kazakhstan as a direct response to shifting global airspace dynamics. With Russian airspace remaining restricted for many international carriers, the Middle Corridor connecting Asia and Europe through Central Asia has gained structural importance. Almaty’s geographic position allows it to capture both increased technical stops for cargo operators and rising point-to-point demand, justifying capital expenditures that exceed half a billion euros over a six-year period.
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