Delta Asks Pilots to Take a Pay Cut for a Year

If you were told that if you take a 15% pay cut in order to save lay offs at your job, would you do it?  That is, saying that you could still live and pay your bills with that pay cut.

This is what Delta Airlines is asking their pilots to do.  This is happening in anticipation of October's end to the federal aid that was given because of the pandemic.  Delta was expecting to be adding flights this Fall, but with the infection rate rising, that doesn't seem like it will happen.  They were planning to add about 1000 more flights, but now it looks like it could be about half of that.

There is a pilots union that would like to see how voluntary leaves of absence with partial pay will work first.  That would possibly help because it's volunteer, so the people who really need to work will still work, while people who are in a better financial situation would be the ones taking the leave of absence.

Delta has sent notices to more than 2,500 of its 14,000 pilots warning that they could be furloughed – laid off with rehiring rights – when the airline’s $5.4 billion in federal payroll aid runs out on Oct. 1. About 1,700 Delta pilots have taken buyouts and will leave the company...

I personally have a flight booked for later this Fall.  We will see what happens when it gets a bit closer to the date.  But for right now, the flight has changed at least 4 times.  There hasn't been a reason given, but I'm guessing it's because people are bailing on their travel plans.  And they are condensing passengers on the remaining flights.  We will see what happens.  But right now I am, and I'm sure many people are, pretty Corona-weary.  This needs to end  soon.  But do you think it will?