In a significant legal move, an air traffic controller has taken action against his employer, accusing them of failing to properly calculate overtime pay. On January 22, 2026, Travis Spikes filed a collective action complaint in the United States Court for the Northern District of Georgia against CI Squared Aviation, Inc. The lawsuit alleges that the company did not include various premium payments in the regular rate of pay when calculating overtime compensation.
The case revolves around allegations that CI Squared Aviation, Inc., known as CI2, systematically failed to incorporate additional forms of remuneration into the regular rate of pay for its air traffic controllers. According to the complaint, these payments include night shift differentials, Sunday premium pay, on-the-job training pay, and step-up pay—all stipulated under a Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). This omission purportedly violates Section 7(a) of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), which mandates that all forms of remuneration be included in overtime calculations. “Defendant has failed to include certain payments…in Plaintiffs and those similarly situated Air Traffic Controllers’ regular rates of pay,” states the complaint.
Spikes claims that during a specific pay period from November 3 to November 16, 2024, he worked his scheduled hours plus additional hours qualifying for night shift differential and Sunday premium pay. Despite this, CI2 allegedly calculated his overtime based solely on his base hourly rate without accounting for these premiums. As a result, Spikes argues he was underpaid by $10.30 per hour for his overtime work during that period.
The plaintiff seeks multiple forms of relief from the court. These include a declaratory judgment confirming CI2’s violation of FLSA regulations and an order for complete accounting of all owed compensation. Additionally, Spikes requests monetary damages equivalent to backpay with interest and liquidated damages equal to backpay amounts due to improper overtime compensation calculations. The lawsuit also seeks attorneys’ fees and costs incurred during litigation.
Representing Travis Spikes are attorneys Justin M. Scott and Tierra M. Monteiro from Radford Scott LLP in Decatur, Georgia. Also listed as counsel are Gregory K. McGillivary, Molly A. Elkin, Sarah M. Block, and Rachel B. Lerner from McGillivary Steele Elkin LLP in Washington D.C., pending pro hac vice admission. The case is identified as Case No: 1:26-cv-00396-SEG.
Source: 126cv396_Travis_Spikes_v_CI_Squared_Complaint_Northern_District_of_Georgia..pdf