We have to understand that both Delta and the Delta MEC are first movers on this piece. Yes, other airline have owned 49% of Virgin, but no management team on earth has Delta's expertise at marketing, operations and the strategic network capability to make it all come together profitably. As for contract language, although this builds on previous structures, it is a first in a World where change typically comes slowly.

We are among the highest paid pilots on the planet. If we want to make more money, secure career progression and protect our junior pilots we must defend against Delta growing it's worldwide flying using Virgin (or a future partner) instead of us.

What we, as the pilots of Delta Air Lines, achieved:

• First Global Production Balance - meaning our growth is included in Delta's plans, even plans it has not thought of yet.
• Increased the protections over our Wide body International flying TEN fold (57,000 increased to 576,750 and that will increase as VS re-fleets on a roughly 3 to 1 ratio)

100K Carl has posted a lot on the difference between the BH floor in the TA and our current Widebody block hour flying. We can talk about this now that there is official data out there to compare. We fly 662,403 BH based on the snapshot used. Be aware that these numbers change constantly and there are differences between scheduled and actual time.

We need to make the important distinction that compliance is not measured in block hours, but in Available Seat Kilometers. Because Virgin operates out of tightly slot restricted London Heathrow it is going to tend towards larger units of capacity that create out sized ASK metrics, like the A380. (I am not a big believer in the A380, in fact I think it's days are numbered). My guess is that the Virgin fleet mix will change away from the 747's and A340's and that something will backfill in addition to the 15 787's VS has on order. I have no idea where that might be going, but the A350 and 777-X would be compelling.

Regardless, after some allowance for VS growth, this TA ensures that any substantial growth at VS Delta must grow.

Could the agreement have been better? Yes. What made ratification a unanimous vote was that our contract was substantially improved. Going forward we now have a framework to build on that ensures we will not be a wide body version of Comair, just to have our flying diluted as we maintain a better contract than our peers.

As a junior pilot who's career will likely be defined by this work ... a hearty and sincere "thank you" for your efforts gentlemen.