Pinnacle's agreement is probably the milepost which the end of ALPA will be measured.

An express carrier will "own" mainline flying enforceable by contract with the mainline parent. Permitted flying has been transferred under contract and is now committed to an express carrier. These negotiations were done with the mainline pilots locked out the room. President Moak intends to cram Pinnacle scope down on to the Delta pilots.

If this were part of a "dream" to improve express pay by gaining them their own scope it might be a good thing, but, Pinnacle's committed aircraft are tied to their bankruptcy concessions. Further, six months after the Pinnacle amenable date, the commitment disappears. Due to the length of the Pinnacle contract, the Pinnacle scope will supersede Delta's next bargaining cycle.

Even if ALPA does survive this move far beyond what the Ford-Cooksey plaintiffs wished to achieve, ALPA's ability to bargain for mainline carriers will be severely compromised as they no longer enjoy autonomy and exclusivity with their management.

Delta mainline is officially now just a DCI carrier.