Delta/Pilots agree on tentative settlement

Details:

biz.yahoo.com/ap/060414/delta_pilots.html鈥?/a>

Delta/Pilots agree on tentative settlement

But the pilots have yet to speak...

The labor leaders, recognizing the imminent demise of the company (and their as yet un-cut high paying consultant positions), may have agreed to the terms, but the rank and file has not.

Good news, but final by no means.

Delta/Pilots agree on tentative settlement

I have a question that someone might know about delta miles, we have over the 35000 for a trip but for whenever we check it seems all they have is the 70000 tickets, has anyone gotten the 35000 with delta recently, I know they are always difficult to get but with american we can always get them if we book far enough in advance. I can hardly find anywhere that delta offers the base mileage, is this their game plan.

Longboard, they are indeed cutting back on the seats available at the lower mileage. I find I hit about 50-50 vs. the higher mileage. If you can travel during the week (Tue, Wed, Thu) you%26#39;ll have much better luck finding seats at the lower rate.

Longboard, they are indeed cutting back on the seats available at the lower mileage. I find I hit about 50-50 vs. the higher mileage. If you can travel during the week (Tue, Wed, Thu) you%26#39;ll have much better luck finding seats at the lower rate.

I agree amberloo, because the same is true here in Northwest Airlines land. Although there is a tentative contract between NWA and their pilots, it is still quite uncertain how the pilots will vote later this month (and same goes for the NWA flight attendants). So time will tell.

Oh golly, I hereby enter a no contest plea: the utilization of Delta (%26amp;/or Northwest) and the word tentative, in the same sentence, is undeniably redundant!

However, when it comes to the current situation, think what was announced is far preferable to tentative disagreement; at least as far as timing of a potential strike is concerned. No matter what transpires over the coming weeks and months, I doubt that any employee of Delta believes it will be the end of the Chinese Water Torture they%26#39;ve had to endure.

With regard to Skymiles, don%26#39;t know if of interest, but Delta has a fairly efficient system for donations to Charity. In addition to all the majors, it is an easy click for such groups as Childrens Miracle Network, Make-a-Wish and Special Olympics etc.

As far as the long term viability of Delta, once they clear Chapter 11, and are no longer ';burdened'; with past indebtedness, have dumped their Pension Plans off on the Pension Benefit Guarantee Corp. (taxpayers are the bag-holder on that little puppy) and have finalized their multitude of labor concessions, their operating costs per available seat mile will be lower than those of Southwest.

One final tidbit concerning the Pilot%26#39;s Union; shortly before bankrupcy, they could have acquired controlling interest in the company for the cost of a single 767. Admittedly, it would have not prevented bankrupcy, but at least they would have had the opportunity to install management of their choosing; at a price significantly lower than the latest round of concessions.

Oops; Skymiles donations: delta.com/skymiles/鈥ndex.jsp

Thanks for this, Kamaainawannabe

You%26#39;re welcome emeralds. From the commentary I%26#39;ve seen so far, the deal appears to be one the Pilots may, with a few tweaks, support.

Longer-term, the odds of Delta and Northwest merging seem to be high. This would produce the most comprehensive route system in the country; along with an extremely competitive cost structure. Northwest has, by far, the oldest fleet in the industry; they%26#39;ll probably use the provisions of Chapter 11 to break a large number of plane %26amp; gate leases and the combined company could further reduce the work-force by at least 20%.

From this point forward, it will be interesting to see what American and Continental do with their Pension Plans; don%26#39;t see how they can afford to maintain them and stay competitive. Also, Southwest is facing an unprecedented challenge: This mornings Wall Street Journal reports that the average compensation of LUV pilot, with 10 years experience is more than $180,000.

Under the proposed agreements, the comparable compensation for Delta Pilots will be $143,000 and $126,000 for Northwest.

Very interesting indeed !