Company Watch - Delta Air Lines.

Delta workers volunteer to clean planes. Delta Air Lines asked workers to volunteer to clean jetliners in exchange for a free T-shirt. Workers cleaned planes at Delta's Cincinnati hub Wednesday, but "Clean Day" was cancelled in Atlanta because of a security problem. Apr 21, 2006

Contract approval won't be easy at Delta, pilots say. Some Delta Air Lines pilots say getting a new contract agreement approved by the rank-and-file will not be easy. "There's a lot of angst out there," said John Urbik, a 10-year Delta pilot. "We are willing to give blood to make this go, but we are not willing to finance mistakes going forward." Delta last week reached an agreement with negotiators for its pilots union. Apr 19, 2006

Delta pilot leaders meet today to discuss tentative agreement. The Delta Master Executive Council of the Air Line Pilots Assn. will meet today to receive a "comprehensive briefing" on the tentative agreement reached by airline and union negotiators last Friday. Apr 19, 2006

Delta pilots agree to $280-$290 million in givebacks. Delta Air Lines pilots, represented by the Air Line Pilots Assn., agreed to $280-$290 million in annual concessions, including a 14% pay cut, in the tentative labor agreement reached on Friday. Apr 18, 2006

Delta pilots will consider agreement Wednesday. Leaders of Delta Air Lines' pilots union will meet Wednesday to consider a tentative contract agreement reached last week. Media reports indicate that the agreement, if ratified, will save Delta up to $290 million each year. Apr 18, 2006

Judge does not rule on Comair contract: A bankruptcy judge did not rule Monday on Comair's labor dispute with its flight attendants union, and gave no sign of when he might rule on Comair's request to void the contract. Comair is a unit of Delta Air Lines. Apr 18, 2006

Delta, pilots reach tentative agreement. Delta Air Lines and its pilots avoided having the fate of their protracted labor negotiations, and possibly the carrier itself, decided by a panel of arbitrators by reaching a tentative agreement, the parties announced Friday. Apr 17, 2006

Delta Air Lines which dates from the 1920s, the third largest US airline and tottering along in Chapter 11 bankruptcy, is likely to survive, at least for the time being. A strike by pilots, which could have meant the end of the airline, has been called off. Delta's problems lie not just with the economics of the airline but also a domestic route structure that competes with the budget operators. Massive cost savings still might not be enough. Delta is expanding fast internationally with 11 new Transatlantic routes this summer. http://www.delta.com Apr 16, 2006

Some travelers book away from Delta. Some travelers are not booking tickets on Delta Air Lines because they believe the carrier's pilots may strike. The company and pilots are negotiating contract concessions, and some experts believe they will reach an agreement and avoid a strike. Members of the pilots union picketed Wednesday at the company's corporate offices. Apr 13, 2006

Delta Air Lines' system traffic fell 6.1% last month to 10.07 billion RPMs. Capacity dropped 6.7% to 12.51 billion ASMs and load factor rose 0.5 point to 80.5%. Domestic traffic decreased 10.7% to 7.52 billion RPMs against a 12.4% fall in capacity to 9.28 billion ASMs as load factor rose 1.5 points to 81.1%. International RPMs grew 10.9% to 2.54 billion, capacity rose 14.8% to 3.23 billion ASMs and load factor dropped 2.7 points to 78.7%. Apr 11, 2006

Delta CEO: Airline can't survive long strike. Delta Air Lines would not survive longer than 24 hours during a pilots' strike, Chief Executive Gerald Grinstein said. The company continues to negotiate with its pilots union, and Grinstein said it is important the two sides reach a consensual agreement. Apr 11, 2006

Delta fliers hope company resolves dispute: Delta Air Lines frequent fliers hope the carrier and its pilots union reach a contract agreement and avoid a strike, The Washington Post's Keith L. Alexander writes. The pilots could strike as early as next Tuesday if the sides do not reach an agreement. Apr 11, 2006

Judge will decide on Comair contract. A bankruptcy judge is today expected to decide whether to void a contract between Comair and its flight attendants. A ruling to void the contract could spur some sort of service disruption at the carrier, which is a unit of Delta Air Lines. Apr 17, 2006

Delta, Sabre agree to 7-year deal. Delta Air Lines and Sabre Holdings today announced they signed a multi-year agreement to make the airline's fares available on Sabre's GDS. "This agreement further supports Delta's restructuring efforts, including our goal to effectively manage our distribution costs," said Lee Macenczak, Delta's executive vice president of sales and customer service. Apr 21, 2006

World Airways signed leases for two MD-11s it had been subleasing from Delta Air Lines until the leases were rejected by DL in bankruptcy court in September. A third lease will be signed later this month. World had been operating the aircraft on an interim agreement. Leases with the new owner are on staggered terms through March 2008. Apr 13, 2006