It looks like the new Delta Pilots TA or contract will pass by a LANDSLIDE!

I will give all credit to Delta pilots for sticking firm to get a decent TA or tentative agreement for a new contract. They are getting (deservedly so) a decent bump in pay and still not having profit sharing decimated in the process. They are not getting everything they want and some of the sick time and such are going the way Delta wants them to be (for the most part). Overall it seems like the pilots will be rewarded for the years of hard work and cuts they have taken.

Now I am not ashamed to be on the pilots side on this matter. I have blogged many times that I come from a family of aviators and those who work in the airline business. But at the same time the numbers are clearly in the “sky drivers” favor right now and if you do not believe me all you have to do is look at some of the massive sign up bonus offers they are presenting to regional pilots to come fly for feeder airlines (often in the tens of thousands of dollars). There is a real pilot shortage and it is only going to get worse moving forward.

So will Delta pilots approve the TA as presented? According to one pilot chat board I follow the voting seems clearly in favor by a landslide and my guess is it will be over 80% in favor when it comes down to the final numbers (chat boards always have a strong “gripe” group included).

This is good news for just about everyone. It is good for us as flyers that there will not be a strike to impact travel. That, in turn, is good news for Delta, DAL shareholders and everyone else who works for Delta and would be in a world of hurt if no one showed up to “Fly Delta Jets” as the sign says in ATL (that you can clearly see from THE CLUB at ATL – yes, funny).

Anyway, I just thought as a Delta flyer you would like to know what is on the way from the pointy end of the jet! – René