I'll guess that he continues to accumulate options and outright awards this year. It's variable compensation, similar to profit sharing.

Wait, pilots actually believe this?

Relax. It's not worth it. Here's why management is applying a double standard between the pilots and the rest of Delta (if you understand that, their lack of straightforwardness won't be so maddening). It has one goal only: keeping other employee groups from organizing. That's it! It has nothing to do with sharing the pain or being team players. But they will paint it as is.

The delusional egos of pilots. Flight attendants and gate agents have way more effect on Delta's success than us. You could replace us with thousands of other airline's pilots and no one would even notice! Replace the CEO and everyone would notice.

You’ve got it all wrong. On several points. First, pilots are closer to the CEO than they are to baggage handlers on a macro level. As in 12000-plus pilots as a group. On a micro level, sure, we are easily replaced by the next bubba in line. The difference there is Delta can hire any able-bodied person off the street and make them a baggage handler. To my knowledge, Delta has created zero pilots in their long history.

When you drop the humble act and acknowledge this fact, you realize that this is the distinction that makes it more realistic for a baggage handler to take an “unpaid” leave versus the pilot group or the CEO.

Any employee group is closer to the CEO on a macro level. Fire all the reservation agents and it's a bigger deal than firing the CEO. Cut 25% of the reservation agents and it's only noticed for about three weeks and doesn't really even hit major news. The majors are all talking about cutting 20% of their pilots and most people I've talked to are surprised that any of us still have jobs with so few people flying. I'm fairly certain the only reason a 20% cut in pilots would make national news is to drive up hysteria about job losses, "7,000 pilots lose jobs!" or "7,000 union workers lose jobs under Republicans" or "7,000 new jobless hitting the streets". The only reason any of the airline jobs are making news is because of magnitude, not because people care.

You don't think Delta could hire able bodied people off the street and turn them into pilots too??

Foreign carriers do it all the time. Delta is just going the cheaper route (for now) due to ample supply.

Really? I have to keep remembering if the ceo is ed or Richard. I usually try to picture slicked back hair, but that doesn’t help. Then I have to move to the tennis shoes and remember. Of course, I also do the same with the head of Alpa and think mustachio in oil.

not overnight. The ceo could take a leave of absence for a year and it would be unnoticeable.

Then why did you bother going through all the trouble? You could’ve been a ramper inside of a week. Could’ve saved years of effort, and you wouldn’t have to worry about furloughs. It looks like you made a poor choice.