F/A base


1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,

Referencing the letter, I have a serious question for anyone. It contains this:

We just signed a tentative agreement with Delta Air Lines that is the richest in pilot history, unmatched anywhere in the country or the world, and which gives the Delta pilots substantial raises in pay over the next three years. This is a fact.

How does DALPA get away with saying that with a straight face when the payrates don't exceed the ones from over 10 years ago when adjusted for inflation not to mention the huge disparity in QOL items? Do I have my math or info wrong? This is an honest question.

It's funny that in the same letter he accused people of lying, he himself perpetrated a flat out, undeniable, bald faced lie. There is no pension with this TA. There is no trips touching with this TA. There is no retirement insurance with this TA. The pay rates do not exceed the 2004 rates adjusted for inflation. The list goes on. This is not the 'richest' contract in history. The Chairman of the Union ought to know better than that, so I'm not going to give him the benefit of the doubt on that one. Good question for the roadshow!!!

Where are the FO awards? They're never this late

back door is open

Not for 73N NYC lol

I believe he is referencing the gain in dollar value over the life of the contract. I suspect but don't know that it does not include the potential loss of about 375 million in profit sharing over the life of the contract. Also in referencing it to contract 2001 we had about 10000 pilots verses 12500 today. If rationalized for the relative size of the pilot groups contact 01 would be worth more.

Eck and 88Driver, you are welcome. It is my pleasure, I was raised by pilots, both in my own family and my 'uncle' pilots (friends of my Dad's).

They always took great care of me when I was new/young/junior, and when I would try to pay for my own beer, or buy them one on a layover, most of them refused. They said, "You'll be a Captain some day, then it's your turn." I've always tried to uphold my end of that bargain.

They flew in a different era, under Regulation, in the 1960's and 70's. Watching some of them, I saw just how good this job could be, in terms of pay and quality of life. They had big boats AND airplanes, and they never worked more than 12 days a month.

When I started flying checks at night the Airline Deregulation Act had just passed in 1978. So I've been watching this profession going on a long downhill slide ever since. I was out flying checks the night ATC went on strike in August, 1981. I saw what Ronny Ray Gun did to those guys. I had buddies who I'd gone to college with who were ATC guys who lost their jobs.

When I joined the Air Guard in 1983, I met and flew with some of the Continental guys who were on strike there. There were also many Eastern, TWA and Pan Am guys in my Guard unit while that sh!t was all going down, so I got an education on what greedy Airline Management is all about. I was in the Eastern Pilot lounge in MIA looking for a jumpseat to BOS the day they found out Lorenzo had bought them.

One thing I learned early on, if we don't stick together and take care of each other, we are Screwed! The senior guys need to take care of the junior guys and the junior guys need to keep me out of the ditch! I'll buy the beer! This job's pay and benefits didn't get to be up there with the top Doctors and Lawyers by accident. Labor Risk has to be on the table, ALWAYS! Without Labor Risk, you get a TA like this pos, in times of unheard of profits.

That takes work. That takes preparation. I helped out at DALPA on the No B Scale committee in defeating the B scale. I helped out in 1996, trying to get guys to vote against that POS. I helped out in 2001 and saw all the work that went into that contract. But I saw NONE of that in the lead up to this TA.


There are too many ALPA Politician Wannabee's who are willing to sell out our pay and benefits for their personal gain.

It took 37 years, from the Airline Deregulation Act to bring us here today, for this industry to finally shake itself out, consolidate and rationalize their pricing. Lower fuel prices helps too.

Now the industry CAN afford to restore us to our pre-bankruptcy pay/benefit levels. There is NO REASON, with Delta earning the money they are today, that we should be signing a TA with all these concessions and such piddly pay raises! NONE! And I want my Retirement back too! Get me that and I'll be happy to get out of your way and give you my seat!

Heck, if the Majors did that, there wouldn't be a pilot shortage very much longer, kids might actually start taking flying lessons again!

All I can think is that he is trying to say that our overall contract is the richest. This TA has less value than 2012, but the way they are presenting it makes it sound like the TA is richer than C2K, 2012 or whatever.

Clap, clap... the whole thing was nicely written.