Engage: The Podcast for Delta Pilots

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**Engage: The Podcast for Delta Pilots**

Engage is a product of the Delta Air Lines ALPA Master Executive Council Communications Committee. Delivering important news, information and updates, the podcast touches on all areas of being a pilot at Delta Air Lines, with an emphasis on upcoming contract negotiations and quality of life for Delta pilots.

Latest Episodes:

Engage Weekly - News You Need to Know - June 26, 2026 Jun 26, 2026

Show notes

The weekend is taxiing into position , and this latest edition of Engage Weekly is ready for departure.

Get caught up on the latest news and events from the Delta MEC.

News rundown below

• Feedback Requested: Rate Your Pilot/Flight Operations Experience

• Engage Episode #78: Scheduling Shenanigans | Trip Coverage

• UNH Polling: June 23 – July 2

• Your Upcoming Dues Return Offer: Watch Your Email

• Join Delta MEC Volunteers at Oshkosh!

• Training: E-Learning Updates

• FTDT: Delta’s FRMS Authorizations

• DPAC: Confidential Help for Delta Pilots

• Plus, committee and LEC updates are available in this week’s newsletter!

Have a good weekend!

E78: Scheduling Shenanigans - Trip Coverage Edition Jun 24, 2026

Show notes

What is actually going on with trip coverage, ARCOS, premium flying, and all those “weird slips” pilots keep seeing in the operation? In this episode of Engage, host First Officer Ryan Argenta sits down with Scheduling Committee Chair Ian Turner and Vice Chair Josh Cantrell to break down the current state of Delta’s trip coverage process during the summer operations push.

The conversation covers open time, M7 usage, ARCOS delays, auto-accept, auto-acknowledge, out-of-base white slips, quick slips, inverse assignments, and the growing complexity of covering trips across the system. Ian and Josh explain why pilots using contractual scheduling tools are not the root cause of the current challenges, how technology and process delays are affecting coverage, and why premium flying data may not tell the full story when viewed through green slips alone.

If you’ve wondered why trips seem to disappear after an ARCOS award, why coverage feels slower than it used to, whether pilots are “clogging the system,” or whether you should change how you use your contractual scheduling options, this episode is for you.

Engage Weekly - News You Need to Know - June 19, 2026 Jun 19, 2026

Show notes

The weekend has pushed back from the gate ✈️, and this latest edition of Engage Weekly is cleared for takeoff.

Get caught up on the latest news and events from the Delta MEC.

News rundown below 👇

• Delta MEC June Meeting Highlights

• Negotiating Committee Update

• BOS Local Council

• University of New Hampshire Polling Begins June 23

• Juneteenth Holiday Hours

• Delta MEC Swag Store

• Delta Pilots Charitable Fund: 2025 Summary Report

• Welcome to Our Newest Delta Pilots — June 9 New Hire Class

• Your Upcoming Dues Return Offer: Watch Your Email

• Join Delta MEC Volunteers at Oshkosh!

• Moved? Update Your Contact Information to Receive Union Updates

• Happy Father’s Day from the Delta MEC

• Plus, committee and LEC updates are available in this week’s newsletter!

Have a good weekend!

Engage Weekly - News You Need to Know - June 13, 2026 Jun 13, 2026

Show notes

The weekend has kicked off ⚽️, and this latest edition of Engage Weekly is truly a keeper. Get caught up on the latest news and events from the Delta MEC. News rundown below 👇

Delta MEC June Regular Meeting Update
Your Upcoming Dues Return Offer: Watch Your Email
Welcome to Our Newest Delta Pilots — June 2nd New Hire Class
Engage: LOSA Demystified: Who’s Sitting in Your Jumpseat?
Join Delta MEC Volunteers at Oshkosh!
Moved? Update Your Contact Information to Receive Union Updates
Plus, committee and LEC updates are available in this week's newsletter!

Have a good weekend!

E77: LOSA Demystified: Who’s Sitting in Your Jumpseat? Jun 10, 2026

Show notes

What exactly is LOSA, and who is that pilot sitting in your jumpseat? In this episode of Engage, host First Officer Ryan Argenta sits down with Casey Songster, 737 First Officer and Vice Chair of the SMS Subcommittee within the Central Air Safety Committee (CASC), to break down the Line Operations Safety Audit (LOSA) program. Casey explains how LOSA fits into Delta’s Safety Management System (SMS), what LOSA observers are actually looking for, and why the program is designed to identify operational risks—not evaluate individual pilots.

The conversation covers confidentiality, de-identification, observer selection, pilot participation, and how LOSA data helps both ALPA and the Company better understand threats, error chains, and opportunities for risk mitigation across the operation. If you’ve ever wondered who that person in your jumpseat is, what happens to the information collected during a LOSA observation, or how pilots contribute to safety programs behind the scenes, this episode is for you.

Engage Weekly - News You Need to Know - June 5, 2026 Jun 05, 2026

Show notes

Hello June, and hello to this new edition of Engage Weekly! Get a recap of the MEC's and stay tuned for updates from your Union when they head to SLC next week for their next regular meeting. All links and additional information can be found in this week's MEC News!

E76: Premium Profits and Pilot Leverage: Making the Most of This Moment Apr 16, 2026

Show notes

Note: This podcast was recorded on April 1, 2026, prior to the 2026 1Q earnings call. Though some of the numbers referenced in this podcast have been slightly revised, the 2026 1Q earnings once again demonstrate Delta’s ability to generate a revenue premium. Total revenue for the quarter was a record-setting $14.2 billion, up nearly 10% from the same time last year.

As openers have been exchanged and Section 6 negotiations are officially underway, the noise is getting louder– with record profits, premium demand, inflation, and global instability. So, what’s real and what actually matters for pilots heading into Section 6? In this episode, host First Officer Ryan Argenta sits down with ALPA’s Senior Economic & Financial Analysis (E&FA) Analyst Rushi Patel to break down the numbers behind the headlines and decipher what they mean for pilot leverage right now. Delta is delivering record revenue and profitability, driven by a structural shift towards premium demand, strong brand positioning, and diversified revenue streams.

This conversation cuts through the noise:

Why Delta and United are capturing over 100% of industry profits
The real impact of premium cabin strategy and shifting demand
How resilient the current economic environment actually is
What inflation, oil, and geopolitics mean (and don’t mean)
Why these negotiations are unique and not a repeat of the previous cycle

Bottom line: Pilots are entering negotiations from a position of strength.

Be informed. Be engaged. And understand the moment.

Engage Alert: Negotiations Opening Monday - Raise the Bar. Hold the Line. Apr 03, 2026

Show notes

This is an Engage Alert with a critical update regarding contract negotiations and an important strategic development. Next week, opening proposals are to be exchanged, marking a major milestone in the Section 6 process and the beginning of the next phase for Delta pilots. In this episode, MEC Chairman Captain Eric Criswell and Negotiating Committee Chairman Captain Bill Finlay join us to outline the strategy, priorities, and expectations moving forward - including the announcement of a more accelerated and focused negotiation path. The union is pursuing an approach centered on a concise set of high-value priorities targeting pay, retirement, and quality of life, with the goal of delivering significant and meaningful gains on a shorter timeline. But one message is clear: Early does not mean discounted. Any agreement must meet pilot expectations and stand on its own value, regardless of timing. If that standard is not met, the MEC is fully prepared to pivot to a more traditional, comprehensive approach.

This conversation also addresses:

Why this strategy is being pursued now
How pilot feedback is directly shaping priorities
What happens if the Company doesn’t engage
Lessons learned from past negotiations
What pilots should expect in the months ahead

Both Captain Criswell and Captain Finlay make this clear: Delta pilots are firmly in the driver’s seat. This is a deliberate strategy designed to capture value sooner without sacrificing leverage or outcomes. Stay informed. Stay engaged.

Negotiators’ Series: Section 6 Is Coming: History, Strategy, and the Reality of Negotiations Mar 19, 2026

Show notes

As Delta pilots prepare for another round of Section 6 negotiations, it’s worth remembering that every contract, and every negotiating cycle, is shaped by history, priorities, and sometimes difficult tradeoffs. In this episode of the Engage Podcast, host First Officer Ryan Argenta sits down with Delta MEC Executive Administrator Captain Rich Wheeler, former negotiator and longtime union leader, to talk about the realities of contract negotiations and the lessons learned from decades of pilot agreements. Rich shares a historical perspective on how pilot contracts have evolved, how negotiating priorities shift with industry conditions, and why understanding the past is essential when shaping the future.
Along the way, Rich offers a behind-the-scenes look at negotiations, from long nights writing updates on shipping crates to the intricate “Tetris game” of ensuring that one contractual improvement doesn’t inadvertently break another section. Every pilot has priorities, but successful negotiations require balancing thousands of individual needs across an entire pilot group, and perhaps the most honest reality of contract negotiations: you can’t save all the kittens. As negotiations approach, this episode is a reminder to stay informed, stay unified, and understand the process behind the contract that ultimately governs every pilot’s career.

E75: Quick Slips, Scheduling Shenanigans, and How We Got Here: A Roadmap Through the Chaos Feb 25, 2026

Show notes

In this in-depth episode of the Engage Podcast, host First Officer Ryan Argenta is joined by MEC Executive Administrator Captain Rich Wheeler and Scheduling Committee Vice Chairman Captain Josh Cantrell to unpack the growing complexity behind open time, inverse assignments, and the rollout of Quick Slips under MOU 25-05. The conversation traces how chronic understaffing, outdated staffing formulas, expanding flying schedules, and evolving contract provisions have combined to create today’s operational pressure cooker.

Rich and Josh explain how PCS, manual trip coverage, batch sizes, proactive rest, and 23 M.7 usage interact behind the scenes, often in ways that are invisible to line pilots but deeply impactful to pay, quality of life, and schedule stability. They break down why inverse assignments exploded in recent years, how “race-to-the-phone” coverage undermined seniority, and why Quick Slips represent a major shift toward restoring transparency, structure, and fairness in last-minute flying.

With historical perspective and practical insight, this episode separates fact from rumor and explains what “controlled chaos” really means in today’s scheduling environment. Whether you’re chasing premium flying, protecting your days off, or simply trying to understand why the system feels so strained, this conversation offers clarity, context, and a realistic path forward.

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