Delta Wants More Financial Aid From The Government

Airlines 4 America, an airline trade group representing US airlines including Delta Airlines, wants lawmakers to know that the industry still needs more financial support from the government. It said that the industry is “in dire strait” of billions of dollars more.

This plea was reported after Delta paid large bonuses to an undisclosed number of managers. It was reported that Delta paid $250,000 in at least one case. Among those who received the bonus include Managers, General Managers, Directors and Managing Directors, and Sr. Vice Presidents.

Grade 8-10 managers received 8,000 while general managers get $25,000. Directors and managing directors, on the other hand, range from $25,000 to $250,000 while senior vice presidents get at least $250,000.

Questionable Timing from Delta Air Lines

While thousands of other Delta employees experience reduced working hours, managers received their one-off bonuses. Some employees had to deal with a 25% cut on their usual working hours.

Apart from cutting working hours, around 18,000 Delta workers took buyouts or early retirements. Also, 50,000 took extended periods of unpaid leave just to help the company stay afloat during the pandemic.

For chief executive Ed Bastian, it was only fair that managers take bonus payments despite taxpayers funding to pay the lower-paid workers. Bastian announced in a memo that “Fairness is one of the fundamental values we share at Delta, as is our mandate to always do right by our people”.

According to Bastian, managers also gave up half of their salaries during the pandemic. The bonuses made will get their earnings up to 70-80% of pre-pandemic levels.

Additional Financial Assistance

Airlines 4 America represents American, United, and Delta Air lines. The trade group is set to inform the House Transportation and Infrastructure’s Aviation Subcommittee of its intention to have more financial assistance. According to the trade group, without a $14 billion payroll support, thousands are going to lose their jobs. Others, on the other hand, will experience reduced wages and benefits by April 1. Delta received $5 billion in payroll support from the government.