It's pretty clear to me this is just lip service being paid to those most vocal and closest to retirement. Along with a bump in DC, I believe our focus should be on much improved active and retiree healthcare plans. Those are worth a real struggle and will have a much longer positive impact on the pilot group.

I agree, and to your second point, that all has to do with government requirements, so getting the contribution ceiling raised would be nice. I also don't believe anything works in a vacuum; the reality is that if the market goes down, thus putting us at downside risk with our DC funds, Delta will see a revenue decrease, which would make it more difficult to fund a DB plan. That would be financially challenging for the company and the DB. We've been down this road before, and I don't really want to repeat that blunder.

I'd rather have a 20% DC to max out without having to put any of my own money in.

Absolutely! Outside of scope/ work rules , current medical plans and retirement medical are my highest priorities. Medical would have a huge impact going forward for the growing younger pilot group demographic. I don’t think much negotiating capital would be wasted to make this happen either IMO.

I agree about the retirement medical, although I do tend to wonder how that will hold up through a bankruptcy as well...

The problem with all of this is that there is one pot of money in a contract. ~$350-400M +\- a year. We divide it up anyway we want to. If there is more money going to a “new pension” there is less, or no, money going somewhere else.

I’d rather just have a larger percentage in the DC plan.

I believe the company can put in a max of 44,500ish so you'd have to put in about 10,000ish to max it out but yes it should be 20% to hit that number sooner and thus get the rest in cash after maxing out.

Nothing wrong with getting more in the DC plan AND some sort of additional plan. There is a point in which adding DC contribution doesnt help your retirement once you max out. With the payrates increasing most of the pilot group should be maxing their 401k's out every year. Some sooner than others but at some point it rolls into taxed cash payout which while not a bad thing there may be options out there to further retirement monies and savings. I'm willing to hear all options and would love increased 401k contributions + maybe something like fedex has after retirement on top of their 401k.

Well said.

no. right now its 44,000 because of the 275k income cap, the same 275k income cap @ 20% is 55,000.