<mediadc-video-embed data-state="{"cms.site.owner":{"_ref":"00000161-3486-d333-a9e9-76c6fbf30000","_type":"00000161-3461-dd66-ab67-fd6b93390000"},"cms.content.publishDate":1656605623998,"cms.content.publishUser":{"_ref":"0000017d-fe9d-da96-ad7d-ffbf8a5c0000","_type":"00000161-3461-dd66-ab67-fd6b933a0007"},"cms.content.updateDate":1656605623998,"cms.content.updateUser":{"_ref":"0000017d-fe9d-da96-ad7d-ffbf8a5c0000","_type":"00000161-3461-dd66-ab67-fd6b933a0007"},"rawHtml":"
var _bp = _bp||[]; _bp.push({ "div": "Brid_56454796", "obj": {"id":"27789","width":"16","height":"9","video":"1042573"} }); ","_id":"00000181-b563-da7c-a7c7-f567bbea0000","_type":"2f5a8339-a89a-3738-9cd2-3ddf0c8da574"}”>Video EmbedDelta Air Lines pilots are picketing across the country at several of the airline’s major hubs ahead of the holiday weekend to pressure the company to renew contract negotiations.
Hundreds of off-duty pilots were outside of Delta hubs in Atlanta, New York, and Detroit on Thursday morning, calling for improvements to pay, retirement policies, and pilot schedules.
DELTA PILOTS TO PROTESTS NATIONWIDE FOR IMPROVED PAY, PROTECTIONS, SCHEDULING
“We’re now going into the Independence Day Holiday weekend and are concerned that our customers’ plans have already been disrupted once again,” said Jason Ambrosi, chairman of the Delta Air Line Pilots Association’s Master Executive Council, in a statement. “The perfect storm is occurring. Demand is back, and pilots are flying record amounts of overtime but we are still seeing management cancelling, leaving our customers stranded and their holiday plans ruined. Unfortunately, this mismanagement continues.”
Delta’s 13,900 pilots are represented by the Air Line Pilots Association.
Pilots were outside of seven airports, including Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport, Los Angeles International Airport, Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport, John F. Kennedy International Airport, Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, and Salt Lake City International Airport.
Over 400 pilots were picketing at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, the country’s busiest airport.
Pilots are working under a contract that expired in 2016. After a hiatus since the beginning of the pandemic, Delta’s pilots’ union resumed contract negotiations with the airline in January.
In a letter addressed to customers, Delta pilots estimated that at their current rate, they will have accumulated record overtime in 2022, surpassing the entirety of 2018 and 2019, the airline’s busiest years to date.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
Delta announced on Tuesday that it would offer a travel waiver between July 1-4, allowing customers to re-book trips before or after the travel days with no fare differences or change fees, in anticipation of “operational challenges” during the holiday weekend.
More than 12.9 million travelers are expected to flood airports in the United States over the long holiday weekend despite scores of cancellations, delays, and disruptions across the industry, according to Hopper.
