As to the arguement of pay being substantially higher than the competition - it is apples to oranges to a point. Quality work will and should always cost more. I pay overtime frequently to stay on schedule. It hasn't sunk me yet. I dont begrudge paying overtime because my word is my contract. It is also factored in to my bids on jobs. I often work people 7 days in a row. Its not the same business as an airline. I also have savings plans an home ownership assistance.

At DAL, I think we have slashed to the point that morale is so low, it is tough to get the employees to be fully cheerful when doing the job. In other words, its tough to guarantee the quality product. Forget about the outsourcing part, thats a whole other discussion.

Operational disruptions are surely expensive in the airline business. However, if they aren't factored in, we need new managers.

Sorry if I am confusing you. I am not Ronald Reagan the Great Communicator.