100 Delta pilots may retire early on 1 December 2004

Airline Industry Information, Dec 1, 2004

AIRLINE INDUSTRY INFORMATION-(C)1997-2004 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD

Delta Air Lines is expecting 100 pilots to take early retirement on 1 December 2004 as a new 32.5% pay cut agreed by the unions comes into force.

A spokesperson for the pilots' union said that the breakdown of early retirements against normal retirements will not be known until the end of 1 December 2004. The union is expecting a higher than normal number of pilots to take early retirement on 1 December 2004 as they will still receive benefits based on their salaries before the pay cut.

Pilots at Delta retire on the first day of the month and only need to give one day's notice. A total of 506 pilots have retired early in 2004, a figure which prompted the airline to strike a deal with the pilots' union in September 2004 that would allow retirees to return to work on a limited basis, reports The Associated Press.

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