Just weeks after Delta Air Lines’ embarrassing computer glitch that cancelled thousands of flights, the airline faces another struggle: unhappy pilots. A report from CNN said pilots held demonstrations near Delta’s Atlanta, Georgia headquarters. The article said the pilots were not on strike.

This is what CNN had to say about the issue:

“Delta pilots accepted 50% pay cuts during the airline’s bankruptcy reorganization a decade ago.

The union says that their members’ wages, adjusted for inflation, have yet to catch up with where they were before financial losses and concessions. Meanwhile, low fuel costs and full planes have helped Delta (DAL) record record profits last year.

Starting first officers at Delta today earn an average of about $68,000 in base pay, according to Kit Darby, an expert on pilot pay, while the most senior captains earn about $261,000. That’s less than comparable pilots at United (UAL) and American (AAL), as well as those at major cargo carriers like FedEx (FDX) and UPS (UPS).”

Bottom Line

After taking a pay cut, the pilots are looking for a 37% increase in pay over the next three years or so. This comes amid the slump in oil prices over the past two years, which has boosted profits at airlines, including Delta. Disputes between airline workers and airlines are nothing new, especially amid consolidation in the airline industry.  

Feel free to weigh in with your thoughts about Delta’s “underpaid” pilots.