Canadian charter carrier Nolinor Aviation has boosted the salaries of its Boeing 737 captains, with pay increases ranging from 25% to 40%.
The starting salary for a 737 captain at Nolinor is now C$175,000 ($129,000), with potential increases to a salary beyond C$250,000, the carrier said on 9 April.
It calls the compensation package “the most generous among companies operating in northern Canada”.
The Montreal-based passenger and cargo carrier – which operates older 737-200s, -300s and -400s in far-northern Canadian territories – says the deal is ”a bold initiative aimed at valuing and retaining talent within its team”.
“Recognising the crucial importance of its pilots in maintaining the quality of service for which the company is renowned, Nolinor has announced a major revision of the salary grid for its Boeing 737 captains,” Nolinor says.
The boost in pilot pay is complemented by more rest days and a “future review of the salary scale for first officers”.
”We are proud of the exceptional skills and dedication of our pilots,” says Marco Prud’Homme, president of Nolinor. ”Their ability to operate in extreme conditions, be it on gravel runways or frozen lakes, demands recognition commiserate with their expertise.”
Nolinor says the salary increase is also intended to attract talent and combat the shortage of pilots.
The airline has recently been reinforcing its fleet for operations in austere operating environments, In February, the carrier reintroduced a refurbished 737-200 optimised for gravel runways. That jet – the oldest 737 in operation – originally entered service 50 years ago, according to Cirium fleets data.
Nolinor introduced last month its first Boeing 737-400 with an update of its distinctive blue, white and gold livery. That jet has been re-purposed from Nolinor’s leisure-oriented brand OWG – which stands for “off we go” – and will also fly mostly in support of Canada’s mining industry.
