Delta Pilots March Through Atlanta Airport

[JoeCathyAngelina]

ATLANTA - Almost 275 Delta Air Lines Inc. pilots marched through the world's busiest airport Thursday to vent their anger over the company's effort to throw out their contract so it can impose up to $325 million in long-term pay and benefit cuts.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060330/ap_on_bi_ge/delta_pilots_2

 

[wdwfamilyinIL]

Does this mean anything?

 

[bicker]

They're good walkers?



Seriously, I don't think it means anything. Just more posturing. If they hadn't done it, they would still be just as likely (or not) to strike later if the judge rules in the airline's favor, and thereby bring down the airline. I suppose their thought was to get the public concerned so that there would be more pressure put on the judge to rule for the union (and thereby bring down the airline that way).

 

[Obi-Wan Pinobi]

So ... if the judge rules for Delta, the pilots strike and Delta dies a quick death, but if the judge rules for the union, Delta dies a slow death.

Are Delta and the pilots still in discussions? If not, it doesn't sound good for Delta.

 

[deltachi8]

Im sure it made Delta tremble....[/nelsonmuntz]ha ha[/nelsonmuntz].

Its a show, in the end, if they want to keep their jobs at Delta they wont walk when and where it really counts.

 

[dudspizza]

It's a show of solidarity. The teachers in my district did the same thing when we were without a contract. A school board meeting was going on and we silently marched past the open doors of the meeting, over and over.

The Delta situation is no win situation. The airline industry is a mess and many of the legacy carriers have unreal labor agreements and poor cash flow structures....... some of them will end up in the grave before it is all said and done......

For my sake, please make it after May 25 when I fly Delta to Corpus Christi, please.

Duds

 

[lauren0309]

The decision willl be made April 15 whether their contract is accepted. I fly April 17. That's cutting it real close!

 

[carolsherman]

I fly April 14th

 

[clkelley]

We fly May 20th and 28th on Skymiles tickets on Delta Connection carriers.

Neither of these carriers are owned by Delta, but not sure what is going to happen with those tickets.

If everything goes to pot, we'll just drive. We just lose a 1/2 day on either end.

 

[Blondie]

I also have tickets on Delta Connection carriers.

To say I'm a tad worried would be an understatement!

 

[snickerboo]

We fly April 25th. I find I just can't get excited about our Disney trip with this all up in the air. My dh says not to worry because a strike means 100% pay cut rather than 20% and that this is all scare tactics (people don't book Delta because of this, Delta realizes they need pilots, give more money). But unions are very good about whipping people up and convincing them that corporations have deeper pockets than they do. From what I read, the law is that after 3 days of a strike, other airlines have to take you standby (if they have space) for no more than $50/ticket. We're going mid-week from Buffalo and there are several major carriers out of there so, hopefully, we could get on standby. I wouldn't care so much if we didn't have little kids but it will be awful to explain to them if our Disney trip gets cancelled because of this.

I have no sympathy for these pilots. Many, many companies have gone through drastic work reductions, especially in Ch. 11. Delta announced yesterday 1000 jobs for admin and management cut. Those people don't make nearly as much as pilots and they're getting a 100% pay cut. If the pilots strike, Delta will go right under and everyone will lose their jobs from the boardroom to the janitors. To me, it's pretty selfish of the piots not to take that into account. I don't want to see any family have drastic income reduction but, the average pilot makes $111,000 per year; it's hard to feel badly that the average Delta pilot doesn't want to take $90,000 per year and is willing to let all the flight attendants, ticket agents, customer service people, etc. making under $20,000 lose their jobs because of it.

From a personal note, they're ruining what should be a fun and exciting time for my family!!!

 

[lauren0309]

I'm in the same boat as you. We leave on April 17. My husband wants us to start packing but I said maybe we won't even be going. I'm trying not too get too excited for this trip to be in for a letdown.

 

[bicker]

So ... if the judge rules for Delta, the pilots strike and Delta dies a quick death, but if the judge rules for the union, Delta dies a slow death. .

No. It is considered unlikely that the pilots will strike.

 

[dudspizza]

Right now, there is absolutely nothing you can do, so relax and go about your planning as if none of this was going on.

IMO, nothing will happen. Again, I have flights on May 25 and am not worried about it. If something does happen, you try to find another option. Not much can be done now, so it isn't worth worrying about.

Relax and look forward to Mickey!

Duds

 

[josh0208]

I'm also leaving on 4/17 and am not too worried about it. I cannot imagine that they will strike. It's good to read that I'm not the only one feeling this way. I actually got out the suitcases this week to start the official packing this weekend! Very exciting.

My sister already told me that if something happens, we can borrow her minivan and just drive down there. It will take us some additional days then planned but I'm not letting this worry me. It should be fine.

 

[snickerboo]

I'm thinking about waiting til 2 weeks before our departure date then, of they still have no 'news' booking a cheap southwest flight one-way just to be sure we can get there. (I don't care if we can't get back. LOL) I'll have to look into the sw a littl emore but it says that they are non-refundable but can be used as credit towards future travel. My dh travels all the time on business so if Delta flew, we'd take that and he'd use the sw credit for business. If Delta went on strike, at least we'd have a guaranteed departure.

 

[Disneyjosh229]

The decision willl be made April 15 whether their contract is accepted. I fly April 17. That's cutting it real close!

Excelent. If they go on strike, I will be in San Francisco without a return flight (I fly Apr. 13 and return Apr. 22)

 

[poohbear2]

We fly on April 20th..YIKES

 

[wdwfamilyinIL]

I am glad to know that I am not the only nervous one out there. We too have young children, and if something happens we can't fly then we won't be able to go....I sure hope that I don't have to try and explain that to the kids.

 

[lauren0309]

I was thinking of getting a one way ticket also on another airline to ensure that we get there but what if Delta is on strike, how do we get tickets at the last minute to get back home. I dont think that would work for us because its the end of easter break and all flights will be fully booked at that time.