It's official, Southwest and AirTran pilots approve seniorty integration

Pilots at Southwest Airlines and AirTran Airways approved an agreement combining their seniority lists, clearing a hurdle as Southwest looks to fully integrate AirTran into its operations after acquiring it earlier this year.

Pilots from Southwest, represented by the Southwest Airlines Pilots Association, and those from AirTran, represented by the Air Line Pilots Association, both approved the pact by more than 83 percent.

A pilot's position on the seniority list can determine factors such as earnings, city base and days worked.

There are more than 6,000 Southwest pilots and 1,700 AirTran pilots. AirTran pilots will spend the next three years transitioning to Southwest operations.

Southwest closed the purchase of AirTran in May, positioning itself to challenge bigger rivals in key US East Coast markets such as Atlanta.

(Reuters)