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American Airlines has a tentative contract deal with its pilots. Southwest is still negotiating

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American Airlines and the union for its pilots have agreed on a new contract, which will now go to a ratification vote

DALLAS -- American Airlines has agreed on terms for granting large pay raises to its pilots, leaving Southwest Airlines alone among the nation’s four biggest carriers without at least a tentative contract with pilots.

American and the Allied Pilots Association announced their agreement Thursday. The union said the agreement matched terms reached by pilots at Delta Air Lines and United Airlines.

The pilots and American thought they had a deal earlier this month, but it was upended when United struck a richer contract, with raises of up to 40% over four years. American CEO Robert Isom promised to match pay at the other carriers.

An American spokeswoman called it “a contract we’re proud of, and one our pilots deserve.”

The deal is contingent on the outcome of a ratification vote by American's 15,000 pilots in August.

Southwest CEO Robert Jordan said his airline has been in regular negotiations with its pilots, but had “nothing new to report.”

“There is no threat of an imminent strike or anything like that,” Jordan said. Federal law requires several conditions to be met before airline unions can legally strike, including a finding by mediators that further negotiations would be pointless.

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