SANFORD, Fla. – Protests from Allegiant Airline pilots in two Florida cities have prompted concerns that a pilot strike could soon be in the works.
On Tuesday, pilots picketed at airports in Clearwater, Ft. Lauderdale, as well as Las Vegas, Nevada, where the airline's headquarters is based.
Teamsters Local 1224, which represents roughly 500 pilots for Allegiant Airlines, said it's been in negotiations with the company since 2012, but those talks have yielded little to no progress.
"We seek average wages and job protections, which are standard in the airline industry," said Teamsters Local 1224 President Dan Wells.
Pilots from the union said they're ready to strike if necessary, but there are no immediate plans to.
Allegiant Airlines released a statement about the recent protests, saying:
"Allegiant is committed to resolving negotiations with our pilots and their union representatives. In the interim, we feel our time would be better spent attacking the issues at the negotiation table rather than each other."
On Wednesday, there were no notable delays for the airline, which is the largest domestic carrier at Orlando-Sanford International Airport.
A representative for the airport said they will not comment on airline negotiations.