As Delta Air Lines' labor contract talks with its pilots union remain in federal mediation, the two sides are at odds on pay, vacation and other issues.

The Air Line Pilots Association at Delta said its current proposal is for a pay increase of 37.25 percent over three years, while the company is proposing a 27.3 percent over four years.

"We are still apart on scope, vacation and other work rules," wrote Delta's pilots union chairman John Malone in a letter to pilots.

Delta said in a written statement it “is committed to reaching a timely new agreement that is market-based, sustainable, and that also ensures Delta pilots have an industry-leading package of pay, benefits and work rules.”

As Delta reports billions of dollars in profits, pilots have said they want to recover from past pay cuts from the airline's bankruptcy and financial challenges.

Malone wrote in the letter to pilots that during Delta's power outage earlier this month, pilots and other employees "true to tradition - stepped up and did our best to mitigate impact on the traveling public. That action speaks for itself. That action has long been a hallmark of the Delta pilot, something that greatly contributes to the corporate bottom line, and should be reflected in our contract."

The two sides recently took a recess from mediation after reaching a stalemate, and were preparing to resume talks.

June 24, 2016 Atlanta: Delta pilots conduct informational picketing at the south terminal at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport on Friday morning. Delta pilots are raising awareness and urgency with Delta management for higher pay in negotiations for a new labor contract. "We are almost six months overdue for a new labor contract," said Master Executive Council (MEC) Chairman of Delta Airlines, John Malone, who has worked at Delta Airlines for 28 years. Delta pilots around the country also participated on Friday morning. EMILY JENKINS/ EJENKINS@AJC.COM

Credit: Kelly Yamanouchi

icon to expand image

Credit: Kelly Yamanouchi

MORE:

About the Author

Keep Reading

Tim and Sheri Lilley, father and stepmother of Flight 5342 First Officer Sam Lilley, and Tiffany Gibson, Sam’s sister, attend the first day of the NTSB fact-finding hearing on the Jan. 29th mid-air collision between American Airlines Flight 5342 and a United States Army Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Washington, DC on July 30, 2025. (Craig Hudson for the AJC)

Credit: For the AJC

Featured

Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis testifies before a state Senate committee at the Capitol in Atlanta on Wednesday, Dec. 17, 2025. (Arvin Temkar/AJC)

Credit: Arvin Temkar/AJC