LATAM Chile Pilots Prepare to Strike Demanding Restoration of Pre-Pandemic Pay

Pilots from LATAM Airlines in Chile, part of the LATAM Airlines Group, are set to strike following the rejection of the airline’s recent pay proposal.

The Latam Pilots Union (SPL), which represents most of the airline’s pilots, announced that the strike will commence at midnight on November 12, 2025. LATAM has confirmed that 464 pilots will participate in the work stoppage.

Negotiations on November 3, 2025, saw the pilot union turn down the company’s proposed salary raise. The decision to strike was overwhelmingly supported, with 97% of union members favoring this action. The union is particularly frustrated over the management’s inability to restore pilots’ salaries to pre-pandemic levels.

After LATAM’s Chapter 11 bankruptcy between 2020 and 2022, many pilots accepted pay cuts to aid the airline’s recovery. Unlike executives, who have had their salaries restored, these pilots are still awaiting their pre-2020 compensation.

Mario Troncoso, President of the Latam Pilots Union, expressed concern, stating, “It is unbelievable that the company’s management has led us to a strike that could have been avoided, especially when comparing the company’s profits to our modest demands.”

The union highlighted that management has not disclosed the financial data backing their pay offer and has neglected to restore the conditions that were temporarily adjusted in 2020.

In anticipation of the strike, LATAM Airlines cautioned that there may be flight cancellations on November 12 and 13, 2025, though the specific duration of the strike remains uncertain.

The airline mentioned that these cancellations are expected to impact less than 10% of passengers traveling to or from Chile and has provided options for travelers to either change their flight or receive full refunds during the strike period.

“LATAM reaffirms its commitment to maintaining dialogue with the union and aims to reach a resolution that is beneficial for all involved,” the airline stated.

Headquartered in Santiago, LATAM Airlines Chile is a significant subsidiary of the LATAM Airlines Group, formed in 2012 by merging Chile’s LAN Airlines with Brazil’s TAM Airlines.

As the largest airline group in Latin America, LATAM has subsidiaries across Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, and Peru.

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