Delta Pilot Intimidation
 

It appears that Delta has stepped up its pilot Intimidation this month. I've spoken with several people who have received sternly worded form letters from Flight Ops regarding their sick usage. None of these people have even hit the look back trigger nor have they been GFB.

Pics or it didn’t happen.

What are they threatening? Sick time is a PWA-provided benefit that pilots can avail themselves of if they are unfit for duty. They can whine and moan all they want but I don't see how they've really got any teeth as long as people are coloring within the lines.

On a related note, as I've said in other threads I think the suspension of sick lookback verification bugs the crap out of them to a high degree and will drive them to implement QS as quickly as they can.

Uniform police are out too. Seems they've drafted the standards pilots to do their bidding.

Welcome to 2026 and contract openers.

Since when has the PWA meant anything to them?

"It's not a violation until the arbitrator says it is"

I hope the hats off campaign kicks on Jan 1 2027 (barring a TA), because that bugs the crap out of them too.

I heard there was a CPO standing in the lounge asking what kind of pants they were wearing. Sounds like an HR complaint waiting to happen.

Regarding the OP, I've heard it's at least 1000 people who have received letters

This is all rich coming from a company who has shorted me several thousands of dollars over the last couple years from pay errors and illegal assignments. Sounds like stealing to me.

Atlanta?

Scoop

Yep. AND they were telling pilots to put on their hats and button their jacket before leaving the lounge area.

It's a thing. Bud got one.

What is triggering this? Is it certain parameters triggering it or is it literally anybody calling in sick after X date?

Even to go to grab Chick-fil-A? That's insane.

Just saw one posted on FB.



I'd be like, I'm not quite sure, which brand is authorized this month? But seriously, even more of a reason to continue not going to ops.

If it's like any of their past campaigns, no one outside of the offices will really know but suffice to say there will be some sort of tracker that we have no idea on the conditions.

We must be running a really tight ship in all other facets of flight ops for sick calls and uniform compliance to be the priority and focus of our leaders.

TYFAYD

//fillerz//

^^No kidding^^

I think it's more like "A lack of planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on mine". I'll leave it to the student to fill in who is who.

This is exactly why multiple Flight Ops “leaders” need to be shown the door immediately.

Harrassing pilots for calling in sick, in the middle of a bad flu season, is regional-esque. It’s an attempt on management’s part to distract attention from the abysmal job they’re doing running an airline.

Not just calling in sick. One guy just said he is under 100 look back but was out twice because both his parents died.

If true, that’s pathetic. I would file a harassment complaint with HR against the manager who wrote the letter.

I'd be curious what's the verbiage in the letters going out.

What kind of pants? Black.

“Where can I order my GPS Apparel <insert item here>?” (This is a serious question — what brand are we supposed to be wearing?)

Someone posted their copy on the scheduling FB page. Basically a bunch of corporate fluff about Delta people, how reliability affects our customers, then they drop in the threat that continued use of the absence program that does not align with the PWA or Delta policies may lead to further actuon, including discipline.

what’s an absence program and what part of whatever that is doesn’t align with the PWA?

If someone, when asked, immediately removed said pants in order to provide proof of brand, would become an instant legend…

Captain Commando would be even more of a legend than Captain Happy.

I legitimately don't know what brand my pants are.. they're the ones Delta sent me. So I would definitely have to remove them to look at the tag.

I urge anyone with access to FB to read the letter posted. It says these pilots attendance records are "being formally reviewed." Wtf is that? Is this a process with union involvement? Are they gonna go digging checking non rev, kcm, cass, and social media records? What is going on? This is worse than I ever saw even at the regionals. We're the ONLY major airline who treats pilots like this.

Absolutely! We were properly staffed, had sufficient schedulers, and ran a very tight operation. They even got the uniform “refresh” perfect. Glad they have time to take care of the hanging Chad’s now.

Or they’re making people decline their CJO’s and go to Un-tied. They already made a bunch of poolees wait a year while we self celebrated, not sure why they were shocked that people wouldn’t put their careers on hold for the big D. “You’re ready when Delta is!”

These letters are an excellent way to galvanize and unite the pilot group! Well done!

It's blowing my mind that they thought it was a good idea. They're turning more and more loyal company pilots against them everyday.

I don't know. Your mom gave them to me this morning.

It's perfectly in line with the other blasts RG sends out about how the union is negotiating in bad faith and lying about how well the company is complying with grievance settlements, MOUs, PWA, etc.

Not in the least bit surprising. It is highly entertaining, though.

Sick is in the PWA it's also a regulation (we all know that).

This smells like some lower level Smurf in flt ops got a little too far over their skies ( I'm hoping this is the case and that it didn't come from a SVP).

I thought you wore Lululemon.....or was that OOfff
😉

Guarantee most of those 1000 pilots are never handing out trading cards again. Or saying goodbye to pax or HVC cards or doing the countless little optional things that pilots with good morale can do to help the op.

Pilot morale is hard to put in a spreadsheet or quantify but it absolutely affects the operation big time. This is infuriating but it’s also just so so shortsighted.

Hopefully see some comms from ALPA on this soon.

spin them APU’s and taxi like you’re American.