Release #06.DAL19
April 11, 2006

Delta Air Line Pilots March on Delta Worldwide Headquarters
Demonstration of Unity and Resolve

ATLANTA, Ga. -- In a significant display of pilot unity, hundreds of Delta Air Line pilots, represented by the Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l (ALPA), will conduct a march on Delta worldwide headquarters on Wednesday, April 12, from 11:00 AM until 1:00 PM. This march might be the last chance Delta pilots have to send their message of resolve to Delta management before walking out on strike.

Last week, the Delta pilots overwhelmingly voted to authorize a strike and the union’s governing body, the Delta MEC, authorized MEC Chairman, Captain Lee Moak, to call for a strike anytime after April 17. And yesterday, the union received a $10 million pledge from ALPA to prepare for and conduct a strike, at the same time, Delta senior executives appear to remain intent on using the bankruptcy process to reject the pilots’ contract, a course of action that will have serious, long term and irreversible consequences if they are successful in rejecting the contract.

According to press reports, Delta management has characterized union actions as “posturing and saber rattling.” MEC Chairman, Captain Lee Moak responds, “We are prepared and we will strike if the company rejects the long standing pilot contract. It will be yet another failure by the senior executives if they do not acknowledge our resolve and force us to strike.” At any point, Delta management could withdraw their 1113 motion to reject the contract and return to meaningful negotiations. 

In accordance with Letter 50 and under the direction of the union’s elected leadership, the goal of the union remains to negotiate a comprehensive agreement. The union has been prepared and willing to negotiate a comprehensive agreement that meets the legitimate financial needs of our Company while meeting the long terms goals of the pilots.

Event Details:
Location: On land adjacent to the Red Roof Inn and Hartsfield Drive, between Outer Loop Road and Virginia Avenue.
Media Spokesperson: Captain Mike Pinho, 904-535-8434 (c) or Captain John Culp, 770-366-2099 (c)
Date: Wednesday, April 12, 2006
Time: 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM

Founded in 1931, ALPA represents 62,000 pilots at 39 airlines in the U.S. and Canada. ALPA represents approximately 6,000 active DAL pilots and 500 furloughed DAL pilots. Visit the ALPA website at http://www.alpa.org and the Delta pilots’ website at www.deltapilots.org.

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SOURCE: Air Line Pilots Association
CONTACT: Kelly Collins, 404-763-4925 or kelly.collins@alpa.org
More info is available on the www.deltapilots.org site, click Press Room Access