Some Delta pilots get offer early-retirement offer
Delta offers early retirement to some pilots as it prepares to ground 4 Boeing 747 jets
Associated Press
2 hours ago

ATLANTA (AP) -- Delta Air Lines Inc. is offering early-retirement incentives to pilots including those who fly the Boeing 747 as it prepares to ground four of the jumbo jets later this year.

Delta said Wednesday that it will accept retirement offers for up to 50 pilots, who have until the end of October to apply. The airline has about 11,000 pilots.

Cockpit pay varies by seniority, whether they are a captain or a co-pilot, and the size of the plane they fly. Captains on the 747s are among Delta's highest-paid.

The Atlanta-based airline plans to retire four of its 16 Boeing 747s when it replaces them with the Boeing 777 on its Atlanta-Tokyo route, a spokeswoman said.

Earlier this year, more than 1,000 Delta employees took an early-retirement offer that was not made available to pilots.

This week, United Airlines reached a deal with the flight attendants' union to offer payments of up to $100,000 in severance for senior employees who leave the company.