Alaska Air Group

Seattle – October 15, 2026 -- Nearly 650 Horizon Air pilots held an informational picket in Seattle and Boise, pressing the Alaska Air Group subsidiary to settle a contract after almost four years of negotiations.

The pilots are represented by Teamsters Local 1224. The union says talks cover wages, staffing and training shortages, and operational concerns affecting both employees and the airline's future.

Union says Horizon pilots fly nearly as much as Alaska Airlines pilots but are paid below industry standards

Local 1224 argues that Horizon pilots perform nearly the same amount of flying as their counterparts at parent-carrier Alaska Airlines. It blames the pay gap on the company's refusal to negotiate a fair agreement.

Henry Simkins, Chair of Local 1224's Horizon Executive Council, said management is "dragging its feet" on a contract and that operational dysfunction has become impossible to ignore in bargaining.

Seattle – October 14, 2026 -- Nearly 650 Horizon Air pilots, represented by Teamsters Local 1224, will hold an informational picket on Wednesday, Oct. 14, at 10:30 a.m. They are pressing the airline to end what the union calls delay tactics and to agree to a collective bargaining agreement.

Pilots have bargained for nearly four years without a contract

The union says negotiations have run for nearly four years. Its priorities are wages, staffing and training shortages, and operational issues.

Union says Horizon pilots fly nearly as much as Alaska Airlines crews but earn less

Horizon Air is a subsidiary of Alaska Air Group. According to Teamsters Local 1224, its pilots perform nearly the same amount of flying as their counterparts at sister carrier Alaska Airlines. The union says their wages remain behind industry standard because the company is unwilling to bargain a fair deal.

Seattle – September 25, 2026 -- McGee Air Services has elected Ben Reed as President, effective Oct. 1, formalizing a role he has held on an interim basis for six months. Reed will oversee more than 3,200 employees managing ground services for Alaska Airlines' subsidiary across six airports.

Reed takes permanent control after six-month interim tenure

Reed was named interim President in March 2026 following his prior stint as managing director of operations at McGee's Seattle station, a post he held from November 2025 until his interim appointment. The board's decision converts that interim mandate into a full presidency starting Oct. 1, 2026.