Using MLOA as a planning tool is a consequence of the financial environment the airlines, and economy in general, have created since deregulation.

Diversified income/retirement sources: accepting long-term military orders is essentially a business decision. MLOA and securing diversified income/retirement sources is no different for the employee than outsourcing high-paying wide body jobs to JV partners is to the employer.

Anecdotally, military members take an income hit with long-term orders after third-year pay kicks in, but most all pilots have learned from observing the past decade and a half of givebacks that nothing is certain and the most reliable way to secure retirement income is to adequately diversify.

There's a lot of security in a 20-year mil retirement, despite the fact that it's an overall income shortfall over the long-term.

 

Same goes for taking leave while on mil duty and picking up quick airline trips. Know a few guys fired or nearly fired over that but I hear of people doing it.

 

Depends. If he was planning on doing this when he got hired, then IMHO he committed fraud against the company and should lose his job at a minimum. If it was something that legitimately came up between starting with the company and finishing consolidation then no harm no foul.

 

Hmmm..... so I guess if a new hire is having sex with his wife before offered a job....and she becomes pg and its not disclosed to delta..... and then he accepts the job and subsequently delta is forced to pay for all the medical costs of childbirth...we can conclude a fraud has been perpetrated and he should lose his job.

Cereal?

 

I still disagree, and fraud is one of them fightin' words. USERRA gives citizens the right to voluntarily perform military duty in the service of their country/state. The law does not require one to have such duty "be a surprise" or otherwise take place only after somehow earning enough longevity to earn the RIGHT to take that leave.

Folks who get upset about this seem to be irritated that someone else is getting a good deal they never got or never will. For them (may or may not be true in your case), I say get over it! Any military member who has sworn to give his or her life in defense of our nation has earned the protections afforded under USERRA. Many of them signed up anticipating little risk, but continued serving even after the threat of dying in a desert sh1t hole became a very real possibility. Thousands have paid that price, leaving children and spouses behind.

If the complainers want the same opportunity, they can Google "military recruiter" and go sign up tomorrow. I thank you in advance for doing your part to rid the world of evil like ISIS or otherwise working to better your local community. You don't even have to have perfect eyesight - the number one reason I hear people tell me they couldn't or didn't serve.

If you are worried about inefficiencies and company costs, consider white slipping your butt off and commit to avoiding greenies or premium pay. Otherwise, you're guilty of doing what the MLOAer is doing - working within the law and company policy for the betterment of his life and that of his family.

Instead of attacking your aviator brethren (who will only be military for a small and early portion of their career before returning to the flight deck trenches for perhaps decades), consider focusing instead on the management-driven anti-pilot policies. You'll find no shortage of inequities that dwarf any effects from a handful of full-time MLOA.

 

Fraud is not the right word as it is 100% legal. I might have agreed with less than honorable if it was a two way street - but it is not.


Tell me why any new hire should forgo his "right" to go on active duty out of some misguided one way loyalty to a company that looks at us as costs to be minimized.

Loyalty has to be earned. Delta has failed in this regard for at least 10,000 of us.

You remind me of me - right up to the time I got furloughed.

Scoop

 

This is the only thing I could find in the MLOA Guide:

"It is Delta’s policy that a pilot performing military duty (on orders, UTA drill periods, proficiency training periods, flight training periods, or any other duty that is paid by the state or the U.S government) is ineligible to perform Delta duties in any capacity (except while on military terminal leave)."

What duty am I performing for DAL while on rest between legs or at a hotel?


I have issues with this Guide just like I have issue with fleet departments referencing monthly newsletters for guidance. The guide is a guide and is not signed by anyone in our DAL chain of command.

 

Why does this sound strangely similar to the sick leave abuse claim the company is making? Like someone mentioned before, MLOA abuse might happen from a very very few folks who either did so by mistake (not fully understanding the rules) or for some other reason. Either way, the numbers are statistically insignificant, meaning this is plain and simple a distraction meant to boost productivity.

Its our job as pilots not to throw each other under the bus. I dont believe MLOA abuse is happening. Dont argue on management's behalf. Ever. That includes calling people abusers of anything, sick leave, MLOA, anything. Never go against the family.

 

I think all this comes down to the individual. If Delta is going after guys for serving our country, that's their little rough adventure not the union's. What type of discipline could possibly come from this that would not cause Delta to be investigated for impeding service obligations.

We can't even staff now, do you think suspending folks will help or firing won't get the attention of some congressman? I would love to see Delta try to impose their will with that situation. It would be a complete failure.

 

The problem you don't mention is there is a very active well financed effort in DC to change the current protections in favor of the companies. When obvious abuse is occurring those become examples of why the law should be amended and give ammunition to the companies seeking the changes.