Delta Pilots Picket At Atlanta Airport To Protest Overscheduling

ATLANTA, GA — Delta Air Line pilots picketed Thursday to protest excessive scheduling and overtime that leaves many of them fatigued.

Delta's members of the Air Line Pilots Association International (ALPA) say the airline doesn’t have enough pilots staffed to make up for when there are flight disruptions that require rescheduling. As a result, many pilots are called to work overtime and on their off days.

“We are concerned that on a bad weather day, for example, there isn't enough slack in the system for the operation to give the customers what they deserve,” Delta pilot and ALPA spokesman Capt. Evan Baach said. “Our pilots are working an incredible amount of overtime, and we're working longer days to sustain the operation.”

ALPA represents more than 13,000 Delta pilots. As spring break and summer approach, the pilots are demanding schedule improvements that will positively affect them and their passengers.

“We’re picketing today because it’s time for Delta management to fix our schedules,” said Capt. Jason Ambrosi, chairman of the Delta Master Executive Council of ALPA. “We’ve flown record amounts of overtime during the pandemic to help Delta operate its schedule and get our passengers safely to their destinations. In many cases, pilots are flying long after their day or trip was supposed to end. Delta cannot continue to operate the schedule at redline with no room for error.”

Delta Air Lines officials responded to the demonstration by suggesting that safety was not at issue.

“All of our pilot schedules meet or exceed safety requirements set by FAA as well as those outlined in our pilot contract,” the statement said. “As we continue to deliver industry-leading operational reliability and recover our network, we are also balancing ways to improve schedules for our pilots.”

Thursday, dozens of Delta-ALPA members were on hand from 10 a.m. through the afternoon to demonstrate in front of the South Terminal of Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, where arriving and departing Delta passengers enter to check in or retrieve their luggage, to raise awareness.

They were all dressed in their full flight navy blue uniforms and hats and carried signs that said, “If I look tired it's because I am," or “Fatiguing scheduling = Poor reliability.”

Ambrosi suggested that without some change in the near future, the flying staff the airline relies on may not be available.

“At some point, (pilots) may not pick up that overtime anymore and extra flying,” Ambrosi said.