It is more likely Lee Moak's interview was more along the lines of the fact we have removed "labor risk" from the equation. It does not mean we work for free, or cheap. It means we've progressed from the mutual assured destruction tactics which had been used at Eastern and Tigers. We do better negotiating with solvent employers.

This should not be a surprise. Delta's labor leaders have (mostly) been pragmatic about labor costs, watching the others fight battles to the death and then walking into open markets, or buying what's left and incorporating it into the Delta network. In years past some labor leaders have levelled pointed criticism at Delta - ALPA for being too management focused. Yet, which airline do so many pilots aspire to work for? Which airline did at least half of us apply to and make our first choice?

It is a balancing act for sure. Always looking out for your pilots, always protecting them and trying to find a way to satisfy the basic human desire for "more" in such a way that you don't end up with less.


... for perspective ... I have always viewed the Eastern group as heroes. But as much as their MEC Chairman was morally correct for his pilots, the plan just was not workable.

We should not squander this opportunity. The time for us to improve unity, fragmentation, successorship, work rules, and pay is while times are good. While a focus on pay is critical, it is not more critical than addressing schedules that leave us exhausted and the half of our profession who work their jobs with the constant uncertainty that their express carrier is going to be creatively restructured which will result in the loss of their longevity. ALPA is relevant and we have work to do.