As Delta struggles to regain control of the airline on day five of this IROP, I want to express my sincere appreciation to each and every pilot on the line for your efforts to help recover the operation and do what Delta pilots always do – lead this Company. I know many of you were stranded over the weekend or trying to get to work while flight after flight was canceled. I share your frustration in seeing passengers stranded while we, as crew members, experience the same unacceptable obstacles we face during every IROP – the inability to contact the Company in any capacity and the feeling that we have been abandoned in the system.

ALPA Update
The MEC Officers and relevant committee Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) are receiving regular updates from Flight Operations leadership. To the extent that we can help, ALPA continues offering resources and suggested solutions to expedite our airline's recovery, including sending our scheduling experts to Delta to assist. In addition, many of your elected union representatives have been in the lounge or fielding phone calls from pilots with questions and concerns.

As the Company tries to put the airline back together one flight at a time, your union is involved and working to support you and your efforts to stabilize the airline.

Contract Enforcement
During an IROP of this magnitude, pilots may encounter supervisors who are not well-versed on the PWA or FARs. It is incumbent upon you to have a working understanding of our PWA and the FARs to ensure that you are not pushed into a contractual violation or a violation of Federal Law. Please reach out to your elected union representatives if you feel like you are being pushed by your supervisor to do something that is not legal. If you have concerns that you may have violated an FAR, you should file an ASAP.

Additionally, this IROP will undoubtedly result in a significant number of scheduling violations, fatigue reports, and other contractual violations. As always, the MEC committee structure will enforce our PWA and follow up on every potential violation following this IROP.

Green Slip Trigger 
This weekend, Delta approached ALPA, seeking our input to help return the operation. Following those discussions, the Company informed us that it was considering, as a tool to help mitigate the IROP, temporarily removing the threshold above which a regular line pilot will receive double pay, no credit for a green slip (GS) award aka the “GS trigger.”

The Company has since announced that effective immediately, for rotations awarded between Friday, July 19, and Friday, July 26, a regular pilot will receive double pay, no credit for any rotation awarded via their GS, regardless of the number of hours on their time card that apply to the GS trigger.  

Most recently, Flight Operations distributed an update regarding a deadheading crewmembers’ ability to operate their deadhead flight if qualified and rested. To be clear, there are circumstances under which this could be an FAR violation. Please review Scheduling Alert 18-01: Deadhead Only Duty Periods & FAR 117 and the Delta MEC FAR 117 Quick Reference Guide prior to agreeing to operate any flight you are deadheading on. 

We understand that Delta is doing everything in its power to recover the operation. Many of you have raised concerns about contract violations and, rest assured, your union will work diligently to recover all money owed to pilots as well as hold the Company accountable for PWA violations.

Positive Space Travel/Commuting
Pilots may utilize positive space PS(Y) for travel between their rotation(s) and/or on-call responsibilities and any Delta station through Friday, July 26, both going to and from work. This travel may be booked at any time as Company Business in TravelNet. Crews may also travel on repositioning flights throughout the system. Note that some of these segments may operate with flight attendants on board. Note that if you cannot commute on a Delta flight, Flight Finder on the ALPA app can help you find a jumpseat on another airline.

Fitness for Duty and Adequate Rest
Above all else, ensure you have had adequate rest. If you cannot procure Company-provided accommodations, please do not sleep in the crew room or airport. Get your own hotel room and expense it. As always, you are legally required to assess your fitness for duty before each flight. If you determine that you are fatigued at any point during the flight duty period, you must notify the Company at that time, remove yourself from flying, and be placed into rest.

Resources on Delta MEC Website & AeroDocs

• Fatigue Resources Folder: ALPA Folder in AeroDocs.
• FAR 117 Quick Reference Guide:, Click here to access the Resource Guide on the Delta MEC website or find in your EFB at Library>ALPA>Fatigue Resources>FAR 117 Quick Reference Guide. Page 8 outlines what is legally required to be rested and fit to fly. In addition, there are some other great resources found in the Fatigue Folder.
• MEC Alert 20-08: Frequently Asked Questions on Recovery Obligations: Click here to read these in-depth FAQs.
• Scheduling Reference Handbook (SRH) 
  • Reroute and 23 K. Recovery (pages 105-130)  
  • “Keeping it Legal During Major IROPS” (starting on page 263)
  • Appendix II: FAR Part 117 – An In-Depth Discussion.
• FOM 21.2.2.1 depicts what to do if you are in your rotation and unable to contact someone. 
• 1-800-USA-ALPA – Access to resources during normal business hours and the FAR 117 After Hours Support Network
• Other resources - DART, Scheduling Ticketing System (STS), ALPA App (Jumpseat Finder)

Closing and Moving Forward
Please prioritize the safety of your fellow crew and our passengers above all else. This situation is extremely fluid, and ALPA will continue to track all developments closely.