January 14, 200619 yr From the 1/13/06 Enquirer: Comair offer goes to pilots minus backing By James Pilcher Enquirer staff writer ERLANGER - The leader of Comair's pilot union said Thursday he is not presenting the company's concession proposal to the rank-and-file "with neutrality." But with the vote beginning this week on the package worth $17.3 million a year, he is trying to give members all possible information. J.C. Lawson III, chairman of the Comair branch of the Air Line Pilots Association, also said management has not directly threatened to ask a bankruptcy court to reject the original contract if the proposal is rejected. But he added that the company refused to include a guarantee against taking such an action - called a Section 1113c filing - if the union agreed to the new terms. The 1,700-member union began voting earlier this week on the proposal, which does not have the official endorsement of union leadership. The election concludes Jan. 20, with results due later that day. Full story at http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060113/BIZ01/601130358/1076/rss01
January 21, 200619 yr From the 1/21/06 Cincinnati Post: Comair pilots approve cuts in pay 4-year contract OK'd narrowly By Bob Driehaus Post staff reporter Comair's turnaround strategy got a boost from its unionized pilots, who approved another round of big pay cuts on Friday in a four-year contract. The quest for long-term survival will continue with the carrier seeking to serve as a regional affiliate for other airlines besides its parent company, Delta Air Lines, raising numerous questions including whether Comair might be sold. Comair pilots approved the four-year contract by the razor thin margin of 50.6 percent to 49.4 percent, which reflected the painful choice laid out to them, according to Brian Moynihan, a union spokesman. "The pilots were faced with two very bad choices. We had to make a decision with very little information to base it on," he said. The pilots will see their pay sliced 9 to 21 percent, with the biggest percentage loss going to the lowest-paid pilots. Comair is one of Northern Kentucky's and Greater Cincinnati's largest employers with 4,500 workers based in Hebron. Full story at http://news.cincypost.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060121/NEWS02/601210332/1011/RSS02
January 24, 200619 yr From the 1/23/06 Cincinnati Business Courier: Delta could emerge from bankruptcy next year, CEO says Delta Air Lines could emerge from bankruptcy court next year and has achieved about 70 percent of the financial goals in its recovery plan, the company's chief executive told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "My aspiration would be to come out in the spring or summer of '07," CEO Gerald Grinstein told the newspaper. Grinstein said 2006 will be a "critical year" for the Atlanta-based carrier, which has its second-largest hub at the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport. Delta continues to lose money, battered by high fuel costs and tough competition. Grinstein also told the paper that: * Delta is not in merger talks with Northwest Airlines, which has been speculated since the two carriers filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on the same day. * The carrier should show positive cash flow and other financial benefits from its recovery plan by late this year. * Delta still wants a permanent cost-cutting deal with pilots worth $325 million a year, which is far higher than the tentative deal reached last month. * Service is improving despite the hard times. Grinstein, who became CEO at the end of 2003 after a management shake-up, initially said he expected to hold the job for two or three years. But now the 73-year-old said he has no timetable for stepping aside. Full story at http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/stories/2006/01/23/daily1.html?from_rss=1
January 24, 200619 yr ^ I agree. I don't know what it would do to our hub status but I do know that it is hugely beneficial to have a hub at your airport. I wouldn't want to risk that.
January 25, 200619 yr From the 1/25/06 Enquirer: Delta warns mechanics of local layoffs 34 told they may lose jobs BY JAMES PILCHER | ENQUIRER STAFF WRITER Delta Air Lines on Tuesday officially warned 34 mechanics based at the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport that they could be part of an overall job reduction of 800 to 1,000 positions throughout the bankrupt airline. But local mechanics who have been briefed on the program said Tuesday that the overall number at the Cincinnati base could be larger. The mechanics said they have been told the company wants to have a staff of only 107 locally, which would be down from 195. The Enquirer is withholding the names of the Delta workers because of the airline's policy that prohibits employees from speaking with reporters and calls for punishment - up to firing - for infractions. The local operation performs routine maintenance on planes coming through Delta's second-largest hub, which saw a 26 percent flight schedule reduction Dec. 1. In addition, the airline operates a major tire-changing shop here. Full story at http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060125/BIZ01/601250307/1076/rss01
January 27, 200619 yr From the 1/26/06 Enquirer: Pilots union says airline inflexibility is hurting talks BY HARRY R. WEBER | THE ASSOCIATED PRESS ATLANTA - Delta Air Lines Inc.'s refusal to budge on its demand for $325 million in permanent pay and benefit cuts from its pilots could jeopardize efforts to hammer out a comprehensive agreement by a March 1 deadline, a top union official said Wednesday. If a tentative agreement isn't reached by then, a three-person arbitration panel would decide whether to grant the Atlanta-based company's request to void the pilot contract. If the contract is rejected, Delta has warned it will impose the cuts it is seeking unilaterally. The chairman of the pilot union's executive committee, Lee Moak, said that if the contract is set aside, a pilot strike remains an option. "Their actions have put us in this position," said Moak. He was in Washington with union leaders who were meeting to discuss the situation. Full story at http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060126/BIZ01/601260343/1076/rss01
January 28, 200619 yr From the 1/28/06 Enquirer: Comair pay cuts OK'd Mechanics accept 2% trim; airline seeks Northwest pact BY JAMES PILCHER | ENQUIRER STAFF WRITER ERLANGER - Comair's 600-member mechanics union Friday said it approved a concessionary contract that calls for a 2 percent pay cut. The airline's management said the cut was needed to become more competitive with other carriers. Meanwhile, in an additional move to boost Comair's future, the airline placed a bid to fly planes for Northwest Airlines, a rival of Comair owner Delta Air Lines. Comair officials confirmed Friday that the bid had been presented before either the mechanics or the pilots approved concessions. It's the first time that Comair has sought a customer other than Delta since it began flying exclusively for the Atlanta-based carrier in the 1990s. Comair executives have previously said such a move would be possible and that they also were seeking to fly larger planes and new-generation turboprops. There was no official word on whether the new concessions and cost cuts had made the airline's bid more competitive. Full story at http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060128/BIZ01/601280343/1076/rss01
February 11, 200619 yr This would suck.... Delta's pilots could strike THE ASSOCIATED PRESS AND THE ENQUIRER ATLANTA - Delta Air Lines Inc. pilots will strike if their contract is thrown out as part of the carrier's attempt to impose $325 million in concessions, the chairman of the union's executive committee said Thursday. Lee Moak said the airline has informed the union that it believes the pilots' defined benefit pension plan will be terminated. "If our contract is rejected, we will strike," Moak said in his most definitive statement on the subject to date. The nation's third-largest carrier has said a strike would put the Atlanta-based company out of business. Delta operates its second-largest hub at Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport. About 700 of the airline's roughly 6,000 pilots are based in Cincinnati. Full story at http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060210/BIZ01/602100380/1076/rss01
February 12, 200619 yr From the 2/11/06 Cincinnati Post: Delta pilots: Threat of strike is real By Bob Driehaus Post staff reporter Delta Air Lines pilots have a clear but lengthy path to go on strike and shut down the airline should negotiations that are already going badly hit a dead end. The union declared Thursday that its pilots would go on strike if Delta successfully petitioned the bankruptcy court to void the pilots' contract and unilaterally impose salary and benefit cuts. Darryl Jenkins, a veteran aviation industry expert and independent consultant, believes from private conversations with numerous pilots and analysis of Delta's management plans that the threat to strike is not hollow. "I think this is more than saber-rattling. It would not surprise me if this went all the way. I have never seen a more angry group of pilots than I've seen at Delta right now. They're at the point where they feel that if they worked for free, Delta still wouldn't be able to turn this thing around," Jenkins said. Full story at http://news.cincypost.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060211/NEWS02/602110340/1011/RSS02
February 15, 200619 yr From the 2/14/06 Enquirer: Comair might void contract Flight attendants now in concession talks BY JAMES PILCHER | ENQUIRER STAFF WRITER ERLANGER - Comair has told its flight attendants that it could ask a bankruptcy judge to void the contract covering those 1,100 workers as soon as this week. That would happen barring a breakthrough in negotiations aimed at getting $8.9 million in annual concessions from the union. In a memo to all flight attendants last week, the Erlanger-based regional airline said the two sides "are still very far away" from what management thinks that it needs to compete and survive. As a result, the company is preparing to file a motion to dump the pact. "This is not a step we want to take, but we cannot also risk the future of all Comair employees," said the memo, which was released by three Comair executives and obtained by The Enquirer Monday. Comair already has received concessions from its pilots and mechanics unions, but those agreements go into effect only if all three unions agree to cuts. The airline also is in the process of cutting 1,000 jobs, most of them local. Full story at http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060214/BIZ01/602140319/1076/rss01
February 17, 200619 yr ATLANTA - More than two dozen Delta Air Lines Inc. pilots brought the fight over their contract to their employer's doorstep Friday as they held signs berating management for asking pilots to take more pay and benefit cuts while the company tries to get court approval for a hefty severance plan for officers. The picketing at the passenger drop-off area outside Delta's terminal at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, the company's main hub, came after the pilots union and airline Thursday failed to agree on another round of concessions. If negotiators for the pilots union and company can't reach a comprehensive deal on new concessions by March 1, a three-person panel would decide the company's request to reject the pilot contract so Delta can impose more than $300 million in cuts unilaterally. The pilots union has said it will strike if its contract is thrown out. The company has warned a strike would put the nation's third-largest carrier out of business. Full story at http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060217/ap_on_bi_ge/delta_pilots
February 21, 200619 yr From the 2/15/06 Enquirer: Delta's 2005 loss: $3.8B Results, strife raise survival doubt BY JAMES PILCHER | ENQUIRER STAFF WRITER Delta Air Lines lost $3.8 billion in 2005, including $1.2 billion in the fourth quarter, the company reported Tuesday night. As the financial results raised new doubts among some observers about Delta's ability to survive, the carrier faced increasing strife between management and its pilots union. The head of Delta's branch of the Air Line Pilots Association, Lee Moak, warned in an interview that the union would strike "at a place and time of our choosing" if its contract is voided. Delta employs roughly 6,000 pilots; nearly 700 are based at the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport, its second-largest hub. Moak said he was offended by the company saying that such a move would be "murder-suicide," adding that if the pilots walked out, it "will be due to their actions and not ours." "They could at any moment negotiate ... and participate in the restructuring of our company," Moak said. "Instead, they decided to take advantage of bankruptcy court and seek rejection of the contract. "We will not work without a contract. We're looking at a 50 percent pay cut in one year and having our pension terminated. If you wouldn't strike for that, what would you strike for?" Full story at http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060215/BIZ01/602150323/-1/rss What hasn't been talked about has been the effect on CVG retailers. From the 2/14/06 Cincinnati Post: Delta's slump hurts CVG stores By Bob Driehaus Post staff reporter Stores, restaurants and pubs at Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport have seen their sales dip more than 20 percent since Delta Air Lines cut its flight service by about 26 percent on Dec. 1. But the decline hasn't resulted in the departure of any retailers, and Brooks Brothers and others are moving ahead with plans to add stores to the mix. Sales fell 19.6 percent in December to $5.1 million compared to December 2004, according to the airport. Preliminary sales figures for January showed a 23.4 percent decline to $4.5 million compared to January 2005. The hardest hit part of the airport was Concourse B, which accounts for nearly half of all of the airport's retail sales and is dominated by Delta flights. It features numerous restaurants and high-end retail, including a Brooks Brothers, Johnston & Murphy shoes and Brookstone specialty items. Full story at http://news.cincypost.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060214/NEWS01/602140345
February 22, 200619 yr From the 2/21/06 Enquirer: Union: Comair will file to void contract today BY JAMES PILCHER | ENQUIRER STAFF WRITER ERLANGER – Comair’s management intends to ask a federal bankruptcy judge to void its contract with the airline’s 1,100 flight attendants today, the union representing those workers says. According to a message posted on the union’s Web site, the company told the union of its intentions late Monday night. Company officials on Tuesday confirmed they were preparing a filing but would not say when or if they would present it to the court. "The court filing is being done in the event that we are unable to reach a consensual agreement with the IBT (International Brotherhood of Teamsters)," said Comair spokeswoman Kate Moser. Full story at http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060221/BIZ01/302210011/1076/rss01
February 23, 200619 yr From the AP, 2/22/06: Delta defends severance proposal By Harry R. Weber Associated Press ATLANTA - Delta Air Lines Inc. defended its proposal for a severance plan for officers and directors, saying in a Tuesday court filing "management attended to the rest of the company's employees first and itself last." Delta was responding to an objection filed last week by the Air Line Pilots Association, which asked the court to reject the Atlanta-based company's severance proposal in light of the deep wage and benefit cuts that Delta's 6,000 pilots are being asked to take. A hearing on the severance proposal is set for today in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in New York. The company said that under the severance program, pay of six to 12 months would be granted to certain employees whose jobs are terminated because of organizational or business changes. Employees who quit or are fired for cause would not receive severance. Full story at http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/stories/2006/02/20/daily26.html?from_rss=1
February 25, 200619 yr From the 2/23/06 Cincinnati Post: PHOTO: Delta is retiring its employee purchased Boeing 767, called the "Spirit of Delta." As part of its farewell tour, Delta employees gathered at the Greater Cincinnati Airport Wednesday to take one last flight. JASON D. GEIL/The Post The Delta dilemma Airline and Comair continue struggle to get out from under By Bob Driehaus Post staff reporter Delta Air Lines hailed a high point in labor-management relations Wednesday when it flew the employee-purchased "Spirit of Delta" jet into Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport as part of the 24-year-old jet's farewell tour. Meanwhile, in U.S. bankruptcy court in New York, the airline's Comair subsidiary sought to throw out its contract with flight attendants so that $8.9 million in salary and benefits cuts could be forced on those workers. It was another topsy-turvy day in the life of the third-largest U.S. airline as it continued its fight to slash costs and return to profitability through negotiations and legal maneuvers while trying to conduct business as usual. Comair filed a motion late Tuesday night to tear up the flight attendants' contract after months of fruitless negotiations in which the carrier has not budged from its demand to cut salaries and benefits of those workers by $8.9 million. The employees' union has held out for a lower figure. Delta and Comair executives testified in Tuesday night's filings that Comair might not survive if the carrier doesn't get the full $8.9 million in cuts it's seeking. Full story at http://news.cincypost.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060223/BIZ/602230363 From the 2/23/06 AP: Severance package OK'd for 144 directors, execs BY ALEKSANDRS ROZENS | THE ASSOCIATED PRESS NEW YORK - A bankruptcy judge here approved a Delta Air Lines Inc. severance package for directors and officers that is part of a plan to save the carrier $200 million annually. The airline, which filed for bankruptcy protection in September, had asked for court approval to provide severance for as many as 144 directors and officers. The carrier does not expect to terminate 144 directors and officers, said Dan Lewis, Delta spokesman. He said the carrier likely will cut 20 percent of that 144 total, costing Delta $3 million. Full story at http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060223/BIZ01/602230305/1076/rss01
February 25, 200619 yr From the 2/23/06 Enquirer: Comair's moves boost tension Airline says concessions from flight attendants are crucial BY JAMES PILCHER | ENQUIRER STAFF WRITER An overnight court filing by Delta Air Lines' subsidiary Comair heightened an already tense situation with its flight attendants, and cast the regional airline in a fresh financial light by reporting Comair lost $120 million in 2005. Union officials said informational picketing could begin at Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport this week, but no other work actions are planned. The filings, in association with Delta's bankruptcy, seek to void the contract with Comair's 1,100 flight attendants. Delta and Comair officials said Comair's future is at risk if the company cannot obtain $8.9 million in annual compensation cuts from the attendants. But Delta's disclosure that Comair lost so much last year was surprising, given Comair's previous reputation within the industry as being profitable. Federal data indicate the company was close to breaking even for most of 2005. Full story at http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060223/BIZ01/602230334/1076/rss01
February 28, 200619 yr From the 2/28/06 Enquirer: Comair deadline is April 10 Comair wants out of Teamsters' deal BY JAMES PILCHER | ENQUIRER STAFF WRITER The judge overseeing Comair's bankruptcy now has a tentative deadline of April 10 to rule on the carrier's request to void its contract with its flight attendants and impose $8.9 million in annual cuts to the existing contract. Meanwhile, the union representing the Erlanger-based regional airline's 1,100 flight attendants said Monday that it would not negotiate with the company for a possible agreement for the foreseeable future. "This is the path that the company has chosen, and it is going to take all our energies to prepare for court," said Victoria Gray, a representative and negotiator for the International Brotherhood of Teamsters. The company said it is open to continuing talks even through the court process and that a mutually agreed upon deal is preferable. "We are continuing our efforts to work collaboratively with the flight attendants unit," Comair spokeswoman Kate Moser said Monday. Full story at http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060228/BIZ01/602280319/1076/rss01
March 2, 200619 yr From the 3/1/06 Enquirer: Delta, pilots near impasse Today is deadline in contract dispute BY JAMES PILCHER | ENQUIRER STAFF WRITER Delta Air Lines and its pilots appear headed to arbitration to settle whether the company can void its contract with those workers and impose $325 million worth of annual cuts on its lone major unionized labor unit. Management and the union set today as a deadline to avoid arbitration when they reached a short-term agreement in December. Without a new deal, the case heads to that three-person panel, with hearings already scheduled in Washington for mid-March. The short-term deal in December staved off a potential decision by a bankruptcy judge on Delta's motion to void the contract. The panel would have until April 15 to render its decision. Under the terms of the short-term agreement, both sides agreed that the decision would be binding and not subject to approval by the bankruptcy judge. If the panel sides with the company, Delta management could then set new work rules and pay scales. But the union has said it would strike if that happened - even though it is not clear whether it can legally do so. Full story at http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060301/BIZ01/603010304/1076/rss01
March 9, 200619 yr We shall see...from the 3/8/06 Enquirer: Flights added at JFK Little impact here; 19 new destinations there BY JAMES PILCHER | ENQUIRER STAFF WRITER Delta Air Lines on Tuesday unveiled a new strategy that turns its operations at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York into a legitimate hub by adding smaller Northeastern cities into the airline's international network. But despite the fact that the airline will be using its Erlanger-based regional subsidiary, Comair, to build part of that new network, Delta's second-in-command said that neither Comair nor Delta's hub at the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport should be threatened by the move. In fact, Delta chief operating officer Jim Whitehurst said that since cutting 26 percent of the capacity at the local airport in early December, the Cincinnati operation had become "very profitable" for the bankrupt airline. Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky is Delta's second-largest hub; JFK is now the fourth largest behind Salt Lake City. Delta is transforming its network as it tries to restructure under Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. That included the local cuts made late last year. Whitehurst did not offer any more specifics on Cincinnati. Full story at http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060308/BIZ01/603080306/1076/rss01
March 9, 200619 yr Delta adds destinations from CVG, including Anchorage and Traverse City. Press Release Source: Delta Air Lines, Inc. Delta Continues to Add More Vacation Destinations Just in Time for Summer Thursday March 9, 2:19 pm ET Customers will enjoy new access to popular summer getaway destinations such as Quebec City, Anchorage and Traverse City ATLANTA, March 9, 2006 (PRIMEZONE) -- Beginning this summer, Delta Air Lines customers will enjoy new service to Quebec City, Quebec - Delta's first flights to the beautiful and historic city - and Charleston, S.C. Service between Boston and Charleston will operate daily beginning on June 8 and service between Boston and Quebec City will operate daily beginning on June 15. ``Our Boston customers continue to ask for additional destinations that are attractive for summer travel and both Quebec City and Charleston are frequently on the top of their list,'' said Bob Cortelyou, Delta's vice president of Network Planning. ``From the gourmet restaurants and Montmorency River in Quebec City to the golf excursions and quaint inns of Charleston, the options for a family getaway are endless.'' Customers may purchase tickets on the new flights beginning today at delta.com. Flights are scheduled as follows: Delta's new non-stop service between Boston and Charleston, South Carolina effective June 8, 2006(a) -- ------------------------------------------------------------------- Flight Departs Arrives --------------------------------------------------------------------- 5254 Boston at 8:30 a.m. Charleston at 10:53 a.m. --------------------------------------------------------------------- 5254 Charleston at 11:30 a.m. Boston at 1:43 p.m. --------------------------------------------------------------------- (a) Flight operated by Delta Connection carrier Comair Delta's new non-stop service between Boston and Quebec City, Quebec effective June 15, 2006(b) --------------------------------------------------------------------- Flight Departs Arrives --------------------------------------------------------------------- 5777 Boston at 11:10 a.m. Quebec City at 12:30 p.m. --------------------------------------------------------------------- 5777 Quebec City at 1:00 p.m. Boston at 1:20 p.m. --------------------------------------------------------------------- (b) Flight operated by Delta Connection carrier Comair In addition, Delta customers will be able to take advantage of new non-stop service between Delta's hub in Cincinnati and Anchorage, Alaska and Traverse City, Michigan, and between its hub in Atlanta and Traverse City, Michigan and Bangor, Maine. ``Delta is responding to strong passenger demand for convenient service to some of the country's most popular summer leisure markets like Anchorage, Bangor and Traverse City,'' said Cortelyou. ``Interest in visiting the breathtaking glaciers of Alaska, the Acadia National Park and Bar Harbor area of Bangor and the beaches and hiking and biking trails of Traverse City increases in the summer months and we are pleased to be offering our customers throughout the country easy one-stop connection opportunities through our hubs.'' Effective June 8, Delta will offer customers daily round-trip flights between Cincinnati and Anchorage and Atlanta and Bangor. Service between Atlanta and Traverse City will operate on Saturdays only beginning June 17, and between Cincinnati twice daily beginning on June 12. Daily service to Anchorage between Cincinnati and Anchorage will operate on Delta's Boeing 757 aircraft. Service between Atlanta and Bangor will operate year-round. Delta's new non-stop service between Cincinnati and Anchorage effective June 8, 2006 --------------------------------------------------------------------- Flight Departs Arrives --------------------------------------------------------------------- 735 Cincinnati at 6:20 p.m. Anchorage at 9:30 p.m. --------------------------------------------------------------------- 762 Anchorage at 8:30 p.m. Cincinnati at 7:00 a.m. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Delta's new non-stop service between Cincinnati and Traverse City, Michigan effective June 12, 2006© --------------------------------------------------------------------- Flight Departs Arrives --------------------------------------------------------------------- 5739 Cincinnati at 10:30 a.m. Traverse City at 11:50 a.m. --------------------------------------------------------------------- 5739 Traverse City at 12:10 p.m. Cincinnati at 1:30 p.m. --------------------------------------------------------------------- 5741 Cincinnati at 2:30 p.m. Traverse City at 3:50 p.m. --------------------------------------------------------------------- 5741 Traverse City at 4:10 p.m. Cincinnati at 5:30 p.m. --------------------------------------------------------------------- © Flight operated by Delta Connection carrier Comair Delta's new non-stop service between Atlanta and Bangor, Maine effective June 8, 2006(d) --------------------------------------------------------------------- Flight Departs Arrives --------------------------------------------------------------------- 4267 Atlanta at 10:00 a.m. Bangor at 12:42 p.m. --------------------------------------------------------------------- 4267 Bangor at 1:15 p.m. Atlanta at 4:05 p.m. --------------------------------------------------------------------- (d) Flight operated by Delta Connection carrier ASA Delta's new non-stop service between Atlanta and Traverse City effective June 17, 2006(e) --------------------------------------------------------------------- Flight Departs Arrives --------------------------------------------------------------------- 4911 Atlanta at 10:30 a.m. Traverse City at 12:45 p.m. --------------------------------------------------------------------- 4911 Traverse City at 1:15 p.m. Atlanta at 3:30 p.m. --------------------------------------------------------------------- (e) Flight operated by Delta Connection carrier ASA Also this summer, Delta is excited to offer our Hartford customers a daily flight to the fun and sun of Las Vegas, beginning on June 8. The service will operate on Delta's 737-800 aircraft. ``In addition to the recent announcement of new service to New York's JFK, Delta will now offering our customers in Hartford a chance to visit the Hoover Dam, take in a Vegas show, or try their luck at the blackjack tables this summer,'' Cortelyou said. Delta's new non-stop service between Hartford and Las Vegas effective June 8, 2006 --------------------------------------------------------------------- Flight Departs Arrives --------------------------------------------------------------------- 441 Hartford at 7:30 p.m. Las Vegas at 10:29 p.m. --------------------------------------------------------------------- 420 Las Vegas at 11:30 p.m. Hartford at 7:21 a.m. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Delta Air Lines continues to expand the number of markets it serves as it reworks its network presence, particularly to ever-popular vacation destinations during high demand periods as well as international destinations in Europe and the Middle East, and across Latin America and the Caribbean. In just the last two months, Delta has announced new or expanded service between Atlanta and Atlantic City, N.J., Bozeman, Mont., Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Ponce and Aguadilla, Puerto Rico; Boston and Savannah, Ga. and Nashville, Tenn.; and Salt Lake City and Aspen/Snowmass, Colo., Bellingham, Wash., and Victoria, British Columbia. Just this week, Delta announced new and expanded service to 17 destinations from New York's JFK airport to support the airline's international and transcontinental growth. Delta Air Lines (Other OTC:DALRQ.PK - News) is the world's third-largest airline in terms of passengers carried, offering daily flights to 503 destinations in 94 countries on Delta, Song, Delta Shuttle, the Delta Connection carriers and its worldwide partners. In summer 2006, Delta plans to offer customers more flights between the U.S. and destinations across Europe, India and Israel than any global airline(f), including service on 11 new transatlantic routes from its Atlanta and New York-JFK hubs. Delta also is a major carrier to Mexico, South and Central America and the Caribbean, with more than 35 routes announced, added or applied to serve since Jan. 1, 2005. Delta's marketing alliances also allow customers to earn and redeem SkyMiles on more than 14,000 flights offered by SkyTeam and other partners. Delta is a founding member of SkyTeam, a global airline alliance that provides customers with extensive worldwide destinations, flights and services. Customers can check in for flights, print boarding passes and check flight status at delta.com. A portion of travel for some itineraries may be on the Delta Connection carriers: Atlantic Southeast Airlines, Chautauqua, Comair, Freedom Airlines and SkyWest. (f) From the U.S. based on July 2006 OAG. The Delta logo is available at: http://www.primezone.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=1825. Contact: Delta Air Lines Corporate Communications 404-715-2554
March 9, 200619 yr From the AP, 3/9/06: Union asks court to deny Comair cuts By Lisa Cornwell Associated Press The union representing Comair flight attendants asked a federal bankruptcy judge late Wednesday to deny the airline's request to void its contract with about 1,000 flight attendants. Comair has not shown that its reorganization efforts would fail without the $8.9 million in cuts it wants from the union, according to the document, filed by the International Brotherhood of Teamsters late Wednesday in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in New York. "This proceeding is being instituted in order to undo a deal the carrier regrets - its flight attendant contract," the union's motion says. "The company's motion is a classic example of employer abuse of bankruptcy." The union contends Comair is a profitable carrier and has used "dubious" figures to show an operating loss. Comair officials did not immediately return a call for comment early Thursday. Full story at http://news.cincypost.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060309/BIZ/603090333/1001/RSS04 From the 3/9/06 Cincinnati Post: Comair cuts its ties with area lender Post staff report Comair has cut its longstanding business dealings with Fifth Third Bank and is moving its money and its business to National City Bank, said Comair spokeswoman Kate Moser. The change is part of the fallout from Delta Air Lines' bankruptcy petition filed in September. Delta is Comair's parent company. When Delta filed for bankruptcy, Fifth Third froze Comair's assets, which put Comair's business in danger as the airline could not access funds to buy fuel make other routine payments. The freeze was unexpected because Comair officials had met with bank officials repeatedly to assure that the bankruptcy declaration would not seriously interrupt the airline's daily banking needs, Comair Chief Financial officer Don Bornhorst said in a court document. Bornhorst said the airline and bank had forged an agreement as to how banking procedures would proceed, but the bank did not execute its part of the agreement. Fifth Third's action was a sound business decision in light of the bankruptcy, bank spokeswoman Debra DeCourcy said in a statement. Full story at http://news.cincypost.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060309/BIZ/603090379/1001/RSS04
March 11, 200619 yr From the 3/10/06 Enquirer: Flight attendants leaflet at CVG Comair union: Walkout likely if contract voided BY JAMES PILCHER | ENQUIRER STAFF WRITER HEBRON - Comair’s flight attendant union today began handing out leaflets and briefing passengers at the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport as a new round of negotiations with the company over possible concessions entered a second day. The action also comes a day after the union said a strike is likely if a federal bankruptcy judge allows the airline to void its contract and impose cuts worth $8.9 million a year. About 12 members of the local branch of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters conducted the “informational leafletting” starting early this morning. They handed out a sheet highlighting the situation of one flight attendant, Karen Terry, who currently makes about $28,000 a year. The leaflet says that the $8.9 million in annual cuts Comair is seeking would average $10,880 per flight attendant, meaning Terry would lose 30 percent of her compensation. Full story at http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060310/BIZ01/603100379/1076/rss01
March 12, 200619 yr From the 3/11/06 Enquirer: Voting begins on Comair strike BY JAMES PILCHER | ENQUIRER STAFF WRITER HEBRON - Comair's flight attendant union is now voting on whether it would strike if the company is allowed to reject the current contract. The ballots will be counted March 24, union leaders said Friday. A yes vote by the 900-plus members of the local branch of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters would not immediately mean a strike. Rather, the procedural step would give union leaders the power to call a walkout if and when a federal bankruptcy judge allows management to void the current deal and impose its own terms. Those include $8.9 million in annual cuts. The Erlanger-based regional airline made that request late last month, saying it needed concessions from all its unions to survive. Comair is trying to cut $77 million from its annual costs as its parent, Delta Air Lines, restructures under bankruptcy protection. The airline has already reached concession deals with its pilot and mechanic unions, but neither goes into effect until all three unions take cuts. Full story at http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060311/BIZ01/603110365/1076/rss01
March 15, 200619 yr I'm sorry, but any company that loses nearly 13 BILLION in less than five years should not be in business! From the 3/14/06 AP: Delta makes its case for voiding pilot pact Arbitration panel to rule on deeper cuts BY HARRY R. WEBER | THE ASSOCIATED PRESS WASHINGTON - A Delta Air Lines Inc. lawyer told an arbitration panel Monday the nation's third-largest carrier needs a second round of deep long-term pay and benefit cuts from its pilots and should have the right to throw out their contract if they refuse. But a union lawyer said the Atlanta-based company is asking for too much, and he insisted the first round of cuts was not a "down payment." Delta attorney Jack Gallagher asked the three arbitrators to throw out the collective bargaining agreement of the airline's 6,000 pilots - including about 700 based at Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport - so the airline can impose up to $325 million in long-term pay and benefit cuts. He also told the panel "it now looks more likely than not" that the pilots' defined benefit pension plan will be terminated. The airline has lost about $12.6 billion since January 2001. Full story at http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060314/BIZ01/603140322/1076/rss01
March 16, 200619 yr From the AP and USA Today, 3/15/06: CFO: Delta is 'most fragile' Deep cuts essential, arbitration panel told THE ASSOCIATED PRESS AND USA TODAY WASHINGTON - Delta Air Lines Inc. is "tapped out" and can't borrow any more money to cover its mounting losses, making deep pay and benefit cuts it is seeking from its pilots essential to its survival, the company's chief financial officer told an arbitration panel Tuesday. But the pilots shot back that the likely termination of their defined benefit pension plan should count for something. CFO Edward Bastian testified before the three-member panel as part of Delta's effort to void its contract with its 6,000 pilots - including 530 based at Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport, Delta's second-largest hub - so it can impose up to $325 million in long-term cuts. Delta, the United States' third-biggest airline, is currently in Chapter 11 and is weighing the future of its pension plans. The plans covering all categories of Delta workers are underfunded by nearly $11 billion. Termination of all the plans would represent the largest corporate pension plan default in U.S. history. Full story at http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060315/BIZ01/603150306/1076/rss01
March 20, 200619 yr From the AP, 3/18/06: Good pay for pilots is earned, panel told Associated Press WASHINGTON - The pilots union of Delta Air Lines Inc. sought to show Friday that flying a commercial plane with the lives of hundreds of passengers at stake is a stressful, time-consuming and heavily regulated job that requires a lot of training and professionalism and - ultimately - good pay. Union lawyers called several retired and current Delta pilots to testify before an arbitration panel that will decide whether to allow the nation's third-largest carrier to void its pilot contract and impose up to $325 million in long-term pay and benefit cuts. The union says it will strike if its contract is thrown out. One of the retired pilots, Kim Welch, said he didn't take a certain prescription cholesterol medication because federal regulations could have prevented him from flying. He said he took a nonprescription medication instead. "That is very typical for an airline pilot," Welch told the panel. In a statement, Atlanta-based Delta said its pilots' commitment to their work isn't the issue, but rather what the company needs to keep running. "For Delta to successfully restructure and become a viable company, all of its costs need to be competitive, including its pilot labor costs, which are today among the highest in the industry," the airline said. Full story at http://news.cincypost.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060318/BIZ/603180308/1001/RSS04
March 22, 200619 yr From the 3/21/06 Enquirer: Delta stock options targeted Program costs $305,000 THE ASSOCIATED PRESS AND THE ENQUIRER Delta Air Lines Inc., which is operating under bankruptcy protection, asked a judge Monday to allow it to void roughly 93 million stock options held by 70,000 current and former employees and directors. The Atlanta-based company said the options, if exercised, would provide little to no real value, making the $305,000 a year it costs the airline to maintain, account for and administer the benefit an unnecessary burden on Delta. The company's motion says the request has the support of the creditors committee in its bankruptcy case and the Air Line Pilots Association. The union represents holders of roughly one-third of the options Delta is seeking to reject. A hearing on the request is scheduled April 3 in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in New York. Full story at http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060321/BIZ01/603210312/1076/rss01
March 24, 200619 yr From the 3/23/06 Enquirer: PHOTO: Delta Airlines pilots picket today outside Terminal 3 at the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport. The Enquirer/ Patrick Reddy PHOTO: A traveler loads her suitcase into a car as Delta pilots picket. The Enquirer/ Patrick Reddy Delta pilots picket at CVG BY JAMES PILCHER | ENQUIRER STAFF WRITER HEBRON – More than 100 Delta Air Lines pilots today held informational picketing and passed out leaflets at the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport, protesting the company’s request to void the existing contract through its bankruptcy procedings. “Cincinnati has always been an active council, and when we make a call, the boys show up,” said Rich Harwood, chairman of the local chapter of the Air Line Pilots Association. The pilots took turns of 30 per shift in the chilly air outside Delta’s Terminal 3 baggage claim area, while pairs of pilots handed out the leaflets upstairs. Delta operates its second-largest hub locally, where it employs more than 500 pilots. The union has held similar events at airports throughout the country, but today’s event was the first for Cincinnati. Full story at http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060322/BIZ01/303220017/1076/rss01 From same: Comair rehiring laid-off flight attendants, adding new ones BY JAMES PILCHER | ENQUIRER STAFF WRITER Comair has begun rehiring flight attendants who were laid off earlier this year, even as the company and the flight attendants' union prepare to argue in federal court over the future of the existing contract. The Erlanger-based regional airline began sending out recall notices early this month to the 106 laid-off workers. On Wednesday, company officials said the return of five 70-seat jets to Comair's fleet - along with high turnover rates - have led to more job openings. Full story at http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060323/BIZ01/603230318/1076/rss01
March 25, 200619 yr From the 3/24/06 AP: Panel to Delta, pilots: Settle BY MARCY GORDON | THE ASSOCIATED PRESS WASHINGTON - The head of an arbitration panel on Thursday ordered the management and pilots union at Delta Air Lines Inc. to immediately begin negotiating for an agreement to avoid a collapse of the 77-year-old airline. In a strikingly impassioned statement at the end of nine days of hearings before the three-person panel, its chairman Richard Bloch chastised both sides and warned them that "failure is not an option." The pilots union has promised to strike if Delta, which is operating under bankruptcy protection, is allowed to void its contract and impose up to $325 million in pay cuts. Company executives say that a strike would spell the demise of the nation's third-largest airline. "Make no mistake: You both are responsible for this proceeding," Bloch said in the hotel meeting room with officials of Delta and the pilots union, and their attorneys. Full story at http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060324/BIZ01/603240363/1076/rss01 From the 3/24/06 Enquirer: Comair strike vote comes today BY JAMES PILCHER | ENQUIRER STAFF WRITER Leaders of Comair's flight attendant union will know today whether their 900 members will give them the authority to strike if the company voids its negotiated contract and imposes new terms. Members of the affiliate of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters have been voting for two weeks on giving union leaders power to call a strike. The union will begin counting those ballots today at noon. "I believe we will have a very strong yes in favor of the strike vote," local union president Connie Slayback said Thursday. Slayback stressed that a "yes" result does not mean an immediate walkout. However, it would give union leaders the power to call for a work action if the contract is voided. Full story at http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060324/BIZ01/603240368/1076/rss01
March 26, 200619 yr So what exactly happens to delta its employees and its infrastructure if the airline goes down?
March 27, 200619 yr From the 3/25/06 Enquirer: PHOTO: Robin Fait, a Comair flight attendant and vice president of Teamsters Local 513, empties a Florence post-office box filled with ballots Friday. Union members voted 93 percent to 7 percent to authorize a strike. The Enquirer/Patrick Reddy Comair union approves strike Attendants await judge's ruling BY JAMES PILCHER | ENQUIRER STAFF WRITER Comair's flight attendant union Friday overwhelmingly gave its leaders the right to call a strike if management is allowed to void the existing contract and impose $8.9 million in annual compensation cuts. The 900-member branch of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters voted 93 percent to 7 percent to authorize a strike. Union officials declined to release vote totals but said an estimated 80 percent of members voted. Local union president Connie Slayback said she is prepared to call for some sort of action, "but that's not what we want to do." The vote says "that we can't afford these preposterous cuts," Slayback said. Comair, meanwhile, continued to indicate a willingness to negotiate. Friday's vote "does not affect Comair's operations or Comair's desire to reach a consensual agreement," company spokeswoman Kate Moser said. Moser said the airline is offering a new proposal that would reduce the proposed average pay cut from 24 percent to 16 percent a worker - or about $5,600 annually. Full story at http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060325/BIZ01/603250417/1076/rss01 From the 3/25/06 Enquirer: Comair trouble typical of industry BY ALEXANDER COOLIDGE | ENQUIRER STAFF WRITER Comair's struggle to cut costs is emblematic of a brewing regional carrier industry shakeout, analysts say. As mainline airlines continue to slash expenses to compete with low-cost carriers, feeder airlines flying small jets between hubs and secondary markets are feeling the pressure to lower their costs as well. Ray Neidl, an analyst with Calyon Securities in New York, said Comair must lower its operating costs in order to remain a viable feeder airline for its parent, Delta Air Lines. The alternatives are to risk an outright shutdown or an eventual fadeout as Delta would gradually farm out its routes to cheaper contractors. "There are plenty of people out there willing to do the flying at a lower cost," he said. "It's going to be very competitive out there - those without the right cost structure won't survive." Full story at http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060325/BIZ01/603250369/1076/rss01 From the AP, 3/25/06: Delta pilots prepare 'practice strike' action BY HARRY R. WEBER | THE ASSOCIATED PRESS ATLANTA - The pilots union at Delta Air Lines Inc., locked in a battle with management over pay cuts, is encouraging rank-and-file members to stage a large demonstration next week that is being described as a "practice strike." While full details have not been worked out, union spokeswoman Kelly Collins said in a memo to pilots Friday that the event will take place March 30 near Atlanta. Full story at http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060325/BIZ01/603250363/1076/rss01
March 27, 200619 yr This is hilarious. If you click on the story link and then look for the PDF, it tells people how to go to other airports and catch flights. I'm sure CVG appreciates the Enquirer's free advertising for other nearby airports.... Planning for airline strike Fliers worry, but experts say: Continue as normal BY JAMES PILCHER | ENQUIRER STAFF WRITER So what's a passenger to do? Labor disruptions are possible at both Delta Air Lines and Comair - the two primary airlines at Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport. And those potential problems could occur around the Easter holiday - and in the middle of spring breaks at many schools. Some potential fliers have already decided on a course of action, booking flights on airlines other than Delta, according to several local travel agents and even Delta Air Lines' chief executive officer. Travel advisers offer up tips Tips for travelers who hold tickets on Delta Air Lines or Comair for travel during the next month or who may be considering traveling during that time: - Use credit cards to pay for tickets. If the flight is canceled because of labor disruption, you can dispute the charges with the credit card company and then rebook on another flight. - Know your rights. If you demand it, an airline that cancels a flight because of a labor action must provide a full refund. Otherwise, the airline must try to rebook you on another airline for a $50 fee. - Be open to other options. It could be hard initially to get a flight on another airline directly out of Cincinnati, which doesn't have much service other than Delta and Comair. And the flights out of CVG are already full, you would be on the bottom of the list for standby. So if possible, be flexible and prepared to travel to one of the five surrounding airports. - Travel insurance. You can protect your trip against a strike only for flights exclusively on Delta. That's because travel insurance companies stopped protecting against a Comair strike because of the positive strike authorization vote, which made the risk a known quantity. And the Delta pilots are expected to return their strike authorization vote on April 4. As for a policy against full financial default by Delta and/or Comair, it's too late. The companies' bankruptcy filings made such an event a known risk as well. Sources: Local and national travel advisers (GRASSCAT: Great source.) Full story at http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060326/BIZ01/603260314/1076/rss01
March 27, 200619 yr why prolong it?! I say end the suffering. Delta has a bad business plan and we continue to throw more good money after bad!
March 28, 200619 yr From the 3/27/06 Enquirer: PHOTO: Comair flight attendant Mush Cohen (right) hands an information sheet to Anne-Claire Moulin of London at the airport. Flight attendants gave information about concessions the airline wants. The Enquirer / Patrick Reddy Strike would do big damage Impact on local economy would go beyond airlines BY CLIFF PEALE, JAMES PILCHER AND ALEXANDER COOLIDGE | ENQUIRER STAFF WRITERS The threat of a strike or lockout of Comair flight attendants or Delta Air Lines pilots casts a long shadow across Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky, hitting at one of the region's central economic engines. The cost to the local economy could be hefty, according to a University of Cincinnati economist: an estimated $3 million per week for a pilots strike and $1 million a week for a flight attendants strike. Last year, a study estimated that Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport in Hebron contributed $4.5 billion annually to the local economy, including jobs for about 152,000 residents. Though recent cuts in Delta flights and personnel have diminished that, a Delta or Comair strike would spill throughout the region's economy. The immediate impact would be the inconvenience of travelers' plans being disrupted, said George Vredeveld, director of the Economics Center for Education and Research at the University of Cincinnati. But he said the real impact would come if the airport lost its status as a hub, which draws major businesses to the region. "Even a shutdown for a week wouldn't have as big an impact as if we somehow lost our hub," said Vredeveld, who co-authored last year's study. Full story at http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060327/BIZ01/603270353/1076/rss01
March 29, 200619 yr From the 3/28/06 Enquirer: Comair flight attendants picket at CVG BY ALEXANDER COOLIDGE | ENQUIRER STAFF WRITER HEBRON - Dozens of Comair flight attendants took their salary fight to passengers at the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport on Monday, handing out leaflets claiming the company's proposed wage cuts are too harsh. The Erlanger-based regional carrier, a subsidiary of bankrupt Delta Air Lines, is seeking pay concessions of $8.9 million from its 900 flight attendants, most of whom are based at the airport here. The company is seeking bankruptcy court approval to toss its current contract that pays the average flight attendant $28,600 per year. Lynn Dziad, secretary treasurer of Teamsters Local 513, said the flight attendants are being asked to take much deeper concessions than mechanics and pilots, given their modest pay. Comair's pilots and mechanics unions have agreed to pay cuts, but they are contingent on the flight attendants agreeing to cuts as well. "They're asking substantially more from our employees," Dziad said, noting that average cuts of about $10,800 in annual pay and benefits, or almost 30 percent, were much more severe than the 2 percent trim in mechanics' pay and the 9 percent to 19 percent cut approved by the pilots' union. Full story at http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060328/BIZ01/603280339/1076/rss01 From same: PHOTO: Outside Terminal 3, Brian Trotter of Fairfield signs the petition of Comair flight attendant Lynn Dziad. Flight attendants gathered in an informational picket line. The Enquirer / Michael E. Keating PHOTO: Comair flight attendants at Federal Bankruptcy Court in New York on Monday. Clockwise from front: Sandra Y. Peddle, Leavenworth, Kan.; Pamela Newstedt-Weis, Cincinnati; Erin L Goins, Elsmere; Katy B. Swanson, Cincinnati; Daniel Marshall, New York; Susan Schwendemann, Cincinnati; Angela Tschannen, Fort Wayne, Ind.; and Lisa C. Pearson, Burlington. The Associated Press / Shiho Fukada Settle, Comair judge warns Airline insists its choice is to cut costs or die BY JAMES PILCHER | ENQUIRER STAFF WRITER NEW YORK - The judge overseeing the Comair bankruptcy late Monday strongly encouraged both Comair and its flight attendant union to settle their differences. "I have a sense of wonderment that either side is interested in having the court decide this matter, although I stand ready to," U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Adlai Hardin said after hearing that the airline could be forced to liquidate without $8.9 million in annual cost cuts - and that the union could strike if he voids its contract. "From what I hear from both sides, neither alternative is very good," Hardin said. "This is not a situation where I can split the baby ... and there is very little time before the end of these proceedings and my ruling." Hardin has until April 10 to decide, although he said in court that he is "disposed to do that much sooner." Full story at http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060328/BIZ01/603280338/1076/rss01
March 30, 200619 yr From the 3/29/06 Enquirer: Comair: Attendants overpaid BY JAMES PILCHER | ENQUIRER STAFF WRITER NEW YORK -- The Comair executive in charge of the flight attendant group acknowledged Tuesday that the union is being asked to give up a bigger chunk by percentage than other workgroups. The company is seeking $8.9 million in annual cuts from its 900-member flight attendant union, and has asked the federal bankruptcy court to reject the existing deal. But Joel Kuplack, Comair vice president of human resources and in-flight services, also told U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Adlai Hardin that the discrepancy was because the union had received pay raises and other employee groups hadn't. "The reality is that they don't match up with the rest of the market, and the need is to have all our groups paid in line with the marketplace," Kuplack said. "And with the flight attendants, there is a marked difference there." The exchange was the highlight of the second and final day of hearings over Comair's motion to reject the existing contract. It came in response to a direct question by Hardin, who said he needed help with the concept of the sought-after concessions being "fair and equitable." Full story at http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060329/BIZ01/603290304/1076/rss01
April 1, 200619 yr From the AP, 3/30/06: Delta says its marketing chief is leaving bankrupt company BY HARRY R. WEBER | THE ASSOCIATED PRESS ATLANTA - Delta Air Lines Inc., which is planning to cut management jobs as part of an effort to reduce corporate overhead by $200 million a year, said Wednesday that its marketing chief is leaving the bankrupt company. Paul Matsen's departure was announced in a message from Chief Executive Gerald Grinstein to employees. Matsen, 46, has been with Delta 12 years. Grinstein told employees that the executive vice president of marketing position will not be filled as part of the airline's streamlining efforts. Other management changes are expected to be announced in early April. Grinstein did not say in his message whether Matsen resigned or was let go, or what his future plans might be. Full story at http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060330/BIZ01/603300305/1076/rss01
April 1, 200619 yr From the 3/31/06 Enquirer: Judge requests key info Comair, union asked for additional facts BY JAMES PILCHER | ENQUIRER STAFF WRITER The federal bankruptcy judge considering Comair's request to reject the contract with its flight attendant union has asked for more information from both sides, including a new estimate from the company on how much its new terms would really cost the union. The company is seeking $8.9 million a year in concessions from its 1,000 flight attendants, and says its survival is at stake, while the union has said it is ready to strike if its contract is rejected. But the company based its concession figure on a total of 818 workers that it said it had on its payroll in December, not on its current employment levels. The Erlanger-based regional carrier earlier this month rehired previously laid-off flight attendants, and also has been hiring new recruits, boosting that original total from December, when the airline's parent cut more than 20 percent of its schedule in Cincinnati. The airline's branch of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters also argued this week that it is being asked to shoulder more of the burden than other workgroups. The union testified in court that while it represents about 10.5 percent of total payroll, the $8.9 million represents more than 21 percent of the total $42.3 million in labor cost reductions the company seeks. Full story at http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060331/BIZ01/603310381/-1/rss03
April 4, 200619 yr Also, be sure to check out this related story. It details the lives and the struggles of certain Comair flight attendants: Cincinnati Enquirer: Ready to fly, or strike (4/2/06) From the 4/2/06 Enquirer: Comair flight attendants make less than median area income BY ALEXANDER COOLIDGE | ENQUIRER STAFF WRITER With average pay at $28,600, Comair flight attendants make a little less than the typical meat cutter, law clerk, travel agent or choreographer in Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky, according to federal statistics. If Comair succeeds in cutting their average pay to about $23,800 through bankruptcy court, flight attendants would make slightly less than the average occupational therapy aide and bakers but more than typical pharmacy technicians, general office clerks, switchboard operators and telemarketers, according to salary estimates by the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics. The salary estimates, which are the latest available, were based on surveys conducted in November 2004 and were released last year. Union officials have said with reduced benefits Comair is asking for total cuts of $10,880 for the average flight attendant. Comair officials say their proposed cuts are necessary to compete in a struggling industry where competitors have slashed wages. Comair's pilots and mechanics unions have already agreed to pay cuts, but those are contingent on the flight attendants' agreeing to concessions. Full story at http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060402/BIZ01/604020424/1076/rss01
April 4, 200619 yr Delta Pilots Vote to Authorize Strike ATLANTA - Delta Air Lines Inc. pilots, angered by management's effort to throw out their contract and impose deep pay cuts, voted by a wide margin to authorize a strike, union leaders said Tuesday. The 94.7 percent vote in favor of authorizing a strike gives union leaders the authority to set a strike date. They didn't set a date immediately and gave no indication when they might act. The results were announced in a memo to pilots from the chairman of the union's executive committee, Lee Moak. An arbitration panel must decide by April 15 whether to void the pilots contract. The union has said it will strike if its contract is rejected. The nation's third largest carrier, which is operating under bankruptcy protection, has said a strike would put it out of business. More at http://www.enquirer.com
April 4, 200619 yr nearly 95%, voted to strike! Yes, if they strike. Delta will be a wrap! I don't think Delta can afford not to agree to the pilots demands. I would have thought the pilots would not have agreed to strike, seeing as a "paycheck" is better than the "unemploytment check" and no benefits.
April 4, 200619 yr ^ Not only that, no pension AND i don't see other airlines hiring. Hopefully Southwest will make a hub here and buy Delta's concourses.
April 4, 200619 yr i am surprised they have a union down there. but good for them. strike. it won't go on long. delta will cave, pay out and go under. then when delta goes bust they can always become bush pilots in the outback or fly cargo over the hump. ijits.
April 4, 200619 yr the pilots are overpaid anyway. If they ruin the airline, I hope they enjoy working at ABX making a quarter of what they did at Delta. They deserve it. The airline is in bankruptcy which means that the creditors are the ones calling the shots. True managment is making the decisions about what needs cut, but the creditors have the authority to approve or reject the proposed cuts before it is presented to the pilots. In this case, the creditors (GE, Penion Funds, Etc) have dictated that these are the cuts that Delta needs to make in order to satisfy their debts. The pilots are stupid and arrogant. I hope they enjoy the unemployment line
April 5, 200619 yr the pilots are overpaid anyway. If they ruin the airline, I hope they enjoy working at ABX making a quarter of what they did at Delta. They deserve it. The airline is in bankruptcy which means that the creditors are the ones calling the shots. True management is making the decisions about what needs cut, but the creditors have the authority to approve or reject the proposed cuts before it is presented to the pilots. In this case, the creditors (GE, Penion Funds, Etc) have dictated that these are the cuts that Delta needs to make in order to satisfy their debts. The pilots are stupid and arrogant. I hope they enjoy the unemployment line I don't necessarily agree. These people worked hard to achieve a certain level of success in their careers. Some pilots, at this point in their careers, are accustomed to a certain level of living. I don't blame them for wanting to MAINTAIN there standard of living. Delta has BAD management and a horrible business plan. I know this seems harsh, but Delta should go under.
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