To ensure compliance with the PWA, the bid results will not be posted until on or after FAA approval of our Single Operating Certificate (SOC), which is currently planned for December 31st. Our goal is to position pilots on the right equipment throughout the system and provide the best support possible for the summer 2010 Network block hour plan. The good news is that the current 2010 summer peak pilot block hour requirement will be 5.7% higher than what we flew in 2009, but that brings the challenge of a significant training effort during the first half of 2010 in order for us to successfully meet these block hour requirements.

Under normal circumstances, we would not consider posting an extensive AE bid over a major holiday; however, given both the contractual constraints surrounding SOC and the requirement to have the majority of the training done by the summer, posting this bid now gives us the largest window available to complete the training and be ready to meet the demands of the summer schedule. It is imperative for us to provide detailed Network information for you to make informed decisions prior to posting your preferences, but I also want to make sure that we have a high degree of confidence that the Network information we provide you is accurate and most likely will not change. More specific information will be provided in a few days when the bid is posted.

At this time, we are anticipating a more than 10% increase in narrow-body aircraft utilization that will lead to a system-wide staffing increase on the 737-800, A320 and MD88/90 aircraft. To accomplish this, we will reduce staffing in some wide-body categories. Additionally, while DC9-50 aircraft will remain in Delta’s fleet, we are planning to retire all DC9-30 and 40 aircraft by October 2010, which will lead to surpluses in the DC9 categories. The SLC MD88 categories will be closed and MSP MD88 categories will be opened as MD90 flying is moved from SLC to MSP. These MSP MD88 categories will be MD90 qualified. SLC A320 categories will also be opened to take advantage of the different operational capabilities of the A320 as compared to the MD90. The majority of the SLC positions will be funded by increased utilization of the A320 which will require relatively few displacements from existing A320 categories.

Additionally, due to an increase in daily 765 departures out of JFK to Europe’s business centers, we have decided to open NYC 765 categories which will result in a reduction in the number of positions in the ATL 765 categories. Finally, because of a decrease in flying on the 777 out of JFK and the recently announced 777 departures out of DTW to Pu Dong Shanghai, Incheon Korea, and Hong Kong, the NYC 777 categories will be closed and DTW 777 categories will be opened. While additional basing realignment decisions will likely be made later in 2010 and into 2011, our training constraints limit any further actions in the immediate future...