Any News of Delta??

[Julia M]

I'm flying Delta on the 17th and can't seem to find any updated news. Did the judge rule yesterday? What's going on?

Thanks

julia

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

Judge OKs Delta Request to Sell Airplanes (Associated Press article at ABC News): http://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStory?id=1356192

 

[owtrbnks]

I'm sure they'll keep flying for awhile. But asking people (even if they are paid well) to take a 32% pay cut is absurd! How 'bout the top guys each taking a million dollar cut to show how dedicated they are to saving the company? You can't blame fuel costs for everything!
Look at SWA and JetBlue.
P.S. Last time I flew from LAX on Delta, I was at the gate 3 hours early. Guess what? The plane was already sitting there - in the middle of the day! Like Southwest says - the planes don't make money sitting on the ground! Why can't Delta "turnaround" a flight in less than an hour?

 

[Donalds_best_pal]

Delta usually does turn around a plane in an hour or less depending on flight. I know people try to compare delta,united and others to SWA and Jet Blue. You cant compare them. They are two totally different kinds of airlines. Delta would have to totally change the airline to be a SWA and cut lots of routes/flights that they probably make money on. The pilots in my opinion are being a little stubborn also. Yea it sure hell sucks about all the pay cuts but at this point they should just worry about having a job. They sure are not going to be able to find another one easily if they help pull delta under.

More then likely they will keep flying for a while but the judge hasnt fully ruled in the case. Basically if the pilots walk out Thursday, sadly Delta may have shut its doors that day. I sure hope Delta pulls through though.

Matt

 

[Wish I lived in Fl]

"If the court approves Delta's proposed cuts, they would be on top of $1 billion in annual concessions the pilots agreed to in a five-year deal reached in 2004. That deal included a 32.5 percent pay cut and has been held up by the union as a sign of their willingness to negotiate."

So Delta MGt is asking for additional cuts on top of the 32% pay reduction of last year.

 

[bicker]

How 'bout the top guys each taking a million dollar cut to show how dedicated they are to saving the company?

UAL's executive team was hit with 25% in pay-cuts in 2003, long before the union members were asked to take any pay-cuts. It should be noted, though, that executive salaries have little effect on the viability of such a large corporation. They could refuse to pay their executives nothing, and it wouldn't amount to much in savings. There just aren't enough salaries there to make a big difference.

 

[bullpup12564]

This was a headline from the paper today. I'm afraid Delta is between a rock and a hard place. I also think the judge will allow the pay cuts to happen. I hope not since I am flying on Song soon. I have been looking at alternate means just in case.

 

[antkim]

This may sound like a silly question...but if they stop flying will I get refunded the fare I have paid for April?

 

[antkim]

Also, how soon will they stop flying? I have flights booked with them for next weekend as well?

 

[bicker]

They will almost surely NOT stop flying before next weekend.

Here's a great web page with all the information you're asking about:

http://www.hasbrouck.org/articles/bankruptcy.html

Here is one highlight, that goes towards the issue you specifically asked about:

Ticket holders are considered "unsecured creditors". As such, they are among the last people to get paid, if there is anything left after all the secured creditors (such as aircraft leasing companies) are paid. In most recent airline liquidations, ticket holders have gotten nothing. At most, they would get pennies on the dollar, at least if they bought their tickets in the USA.

 

[antkim]

Thanks! Maybe I should cancel soon....they have changed my flight times a few times now so I think I can cacell without penalty.

 

[bicker]

As long as the change would make you leave more than 4 hours earlier, or have you arrive more than 4 hours later, yup, that would probably be what I would do too. Unfortunately, they've only changed our flights by 45 minutes max.

 

[bullpup12564]

Does anyone know if this is correct. Maybe I am wrong but It is worth a shoot at disputing the bill with your CC company in case of a strike. Any tjhoughts?

 

[bicker]

Check out that link I provided earlier. Here's the relevant section:

If I paid for tickets by credit card, and the airline goes out of business, can I get my money back from the credit card company?

In the USA, yes, but only if you paid by credit (not debit) card, the airline ceases service, and you make a "chargeback" request in writing to the issuer of your credit card, no later than 60 days after the date that you received the first credit card billing statement that listed the charge for the tickets. If you buy tickets more than 60 days in advance, and the airline goes out of business more than 60 days after you got the bill for the tickets, it's too late to request a credit. This 60-day limitation is part of the same USA law that provides the right to a chargeback if you don't receive the goods or services, the Fair Credit Billing Act. It could be changed by Congress, but there has been no proposal in Congress to extend the 60-day chargeback request window.

[Emphasis added.] Some banks value some of their credit card customers enough to extend that 60 day limit, but in some cases that's only when the bank itself had reason to suspect that the service provider wouldn't fulfill their side of the bargain, and elected to put the money into escrow between the time the sale was made and the time the service was supposed to be delivered.

Some folks have asked whether they could activate this before the 60 day point, even if the airline has not yet announced that they're going to cease operations. Unfortunately, the answer is no. If they declare Chapter 9 after the 60 day point, you're pretty-much at the mercy of the generosity of your bank.

 

[bullpup12564]

Check out that link I provided earlier. Here's the relevant section:

[Emphasis added.] Some banks value some of their credit card customers enough to extend that 60 day limit, but in some cases that's only when the bank itself had reason to suspect that the service provider wouldn't fulfill their side of the bargain, and elected to put the money into escrow between the time the sale was made and the time the service was supposed to be delivered.

Some folks have asked whether they could activate this before the 60 day point, even if the airline has not yet announced that they're going to cease operations. Unfortunately, the answer is no. If they declare Chapter 9 after the 60 day point, you're pretty-much at the mercy of the generosity of your bank.

Thanks for a crash course in reality.I thought this strike thing was no big deal since I live near a few large hubs and paid by CC. I thought I was wise booking early now I might have the unfortunate chance to see if the Disney visa card has any value besides points.

 

[bicker]

I have Delta tickets for mid-January, and I am not worried. I really don't think the strike is going to happen.

 

[CarolA]

I am getting ready to purchase a ticket for mid January on DL. I think that the strike won't happen.

When the NW mechanics struck, the union leadership talked a good game about how the Flight Attendants were striking in support. However, when push came to shove the FA's voted to stay in spite of what leadership wanted. So... what you hear is probably more "union" tough talk and may not really happen.

 

[deltachi8]

I booked a skymiles ticket for early March and am not too worried. At this stage of things there is always alot of posturing....

 

[tiffany123]

We have booked flights on Delta for 3 in mid Feb and for 11 in late June. If they go "belly up", I assume we'll be big losers as I don't see our credit card company refunding our money. The trip in June is the first trip for our 5 small grandchildren and their parents. I know we'll still make the trip but it may end up costing thousands more than planned if we have to make new flight arrangements. We are on a Delta co-share partner. Does anyone know if that would make any difference. It's Chautauqua Airlines non stop from Columbus to Orlando.

 

[AllyBri]

I have 3 flights booked with Song, one of them this week and 2 of them are with miles.