Fellow Delta Pilots,

Today, as our nation observes Memorial Day, we pause to remember the men and women in uniform who gave their lives in service to their nation and fellow Americans. For many in our pilot group, this day is deeply personal. It brings to mind names, faces, memories, and sacrifices that remain with families, friends, and fellow service members long after the day itself has passed.

Memorial Day also marks the beginning of the summer travel season, a period that will again place significant demands on the operation and on each of you. I do not need to rehash the entire operational record in every letter. Delta pilots are living it, and our customers are experiencing it. The continued reliance on pilots to work on their days off in record numbers, operational chaos, constant reroutes, persistent scheduling issues, PWA noncompliance, ongoing pay discrepancies, and the fact that we still have fewer qualified and current pilots in May 2026 than we had in May 2025 all point to the same underlying issue: the operation remains under-resourced and poorly supported.

Your Negotiating Committee (NC) has now spent seven consecutive weeks with management, pursuing an accelerated negotiating track with a straightforward purpose: focus on the priorities Delta pilots identified, find solutions to the daily quality of life disruptions plaguing our pilot group, and continue to raise the bar for our profession without allowing the process to become unnecessarily prolonged.

From day one, your NC came to the table prepared to discuss real solutions to the ongoing problems with the broken trip coverage process. These problems did not appear overnight. They have developed over time through the compounding mismanagement of a long-standing system. We did not create these problems, but we have showed up to the table in good faith with clear ideas and a serious approach to fix them.

Let me be clear: The only pathway to a successful agreement in this accelerated track requires management to approach these discussions with that same good faith. Your MEC will be receiving a full briefing from the NC at their next regular meeting in two weeks and will evaluate current progress to determine if this ongoing approach is still appropriate.

Last week’s unity and Family Awareness event in Peachtree City drew over 1,000 Delta pilots and family members, and that turnout speaks for itself. It demonstrates that Delta pilots and our families understand what is at stake, are paying attention, and are prepared to show their support when called upon. Your Union has organized numerous upcoming Local Council and Family Awareness events in every pilot base throughout the summer months. Please consider attending one of these events to spend time with your fellow pilots and loved ones, meet union leadership, and make your voice heard. While flying the line, please show your solidarity and support by wearing your ALPA lanyard, pin, and displaying your C2026 bag tag. 

Absent an agreement at the table, we will be asking for increased participation, engagement, and visible unity in the coming months. Management will soon understand clearly what we already know: that this pilot group is informed, unified, and prepared. We will continue to bargain in good faith, but we will not bring forward an agreement that fails to meet the expectations that you have clearly set.

Thank you for your professionalism, your leadership, and the trust you continue to place in your Union.