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Old Mar 13, 2023, 6:14 am
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Upgrade deduction by pilots?

Anybody else confirm what I heard from a fellow pax whose son is a Delta pilot?

Word is that the new pilot's contract not only gets them a 30% raise but also puts them on the top of the upgrade list for FC.

(Did a search for 'pilot contract', but didn't see anything related or recent)
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Old Mar 13, 2023, 9:43 am
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oh great just blindly posting completely unsubstatiated rumors, this seems like a thread that is going places
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Old Mar 13, 2023, 9:44 am
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No idea, but given the aggressive implementation of FCM the last few years, if true the pilot(s) will just end up dying at #1 for 0 seats and I'll be #2.
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Old Mar 13, 2023, 9:57 am
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Originally Posted by BHammy
Anybody else confirm what I heard from a fellow pax whose son is a Delta pilot?

Word is that the new pilot's contract not only gets them a 30% raise but also puts them on the top of the upgrade list for FC.

(Did a search for 'pilot contract', but didn't see anything related or recent)
I'm betting there's nuances that are being missed (if true at all, which doubt). It might be something like they top all other DL employees flying standby non-rev (though i doubt DL would risk FA unionizing by pissing them off doing this). There's no way pilots will Trump paying passengers for F upgrades.
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Old Mar 13, 2023, 10:53 am
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Originally Posted by flyerCO
I'm betting there's nuances that are being missed (if true at all, which doubt). It might be something like they top all other DL employees flying standby non-rev (though i doubt DL would risk FA unionizing by pissing them off doing this). There's no way pilots will Trump paying passengers for F upgrades.
UA contract has deadheading (not commuting) pilots in positive-space F, and top of the list if F is full. It's a oft-misunderstood benefit, but would not be surprised to see DL offer something similar.
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Old Mar 13, 2023, 11:11 am
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Originally Posted by findark
UA contract has deadheading (not commuting) pilots in positive-space F, and top of the list if F is full. It's a oft-misunderstood benefit, but would not be surprised to see DL offer something similar.
This I understand. However even then I believe they must be deadheading for an international flight. I don't think it's blanket deadheading for to operate say SAT-DEN.

The OP makes sound like pilots flying for any reason will always get a F seat. I agree with WB post that this is 100% speculation at this point. I also think that myself, that if true there's nuance being missed.
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Old Mar 13, 2023, 11:31 am
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Originally Posted by flyerCO
This I understand. However even then I believe they must be deadheading for an international flight. I don't think it's blanket deadheading for to operate say SAT-DEN.
It's any "online" assigned deadhead: Deadheading Pilots Will Have Upgrade Priority Over Elites
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Old Mar 13, 2023, 11:39 am
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Deadheading meaning moving a pilot from his official base to the place he needs to meet a flight he is flying. This has always required a CONFIRMED seat and for certain situations a first class one based on timing and distance.

Commuting and other non-rev travel, doesn't get you any priority at all over paying passengers. It moves you ahead of retirees and buddy passes and the like.
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Old Mar 13, 2023, 11:40 am
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As someone who knows a pilot that commutes. Deadheading is not commuting. He doesn’t deadhead practically at all he commutes every week.

not a lot of delta flights originate out of his beach destination
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Old Mar 13, 2023, 12:13 pm
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My airline's contract provides me with a seat in first class if deadheading to a location to then operate a flight that same day. I have had the occasional passenger complain to me that I "stole" their upgrade.
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Old Mar 13, 2023, 12:38 pm
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Originally Posted by 757FO
I have had the occasional passenger complain to me that I "stole" their upgrade.
I wish that shocked me.
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Old Mar 13, 2023, 12:59 pm
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Originally Posted by findark
UA contract has deadheading (not commuting) pilots in positive-space F, and top of the list if F is full. It's a oft-misunderstood benefit, but would not be surprised to see DL offer something similar.
DL pilots got positive space commuting during the pandemic but lost it in this contract.
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Old Mar 13, 2023, 1:27 pm
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Originally Posted by findark
interesting. I just started flying UA again, so this is hood to know. Not that I think it happens often, but I feel isn't right for short flights. Deadheading to operate 4/5+ hour flights sure I get. However just to go operate say AUS-LAX, no I don't agree.

Originally Posted by MSPeconomist
Why "his" and "he"? Not all pilots are male. DL has had female pilots for a very long time. They sometimes deadhead too.
English language you use his/he by default. It doesn't mean that you're excluding females and non-M/F gender conforming.
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Old Mar 13, 2023, 2:55 pm
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Originally Posted by DLHubber
I wish that shocked me.
While I am always grateful to our passengers, some, and the numbers seem to increase each year, think they literally own the aircraft they are flying on.
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Old Mar 13, 2023, 5:32 pm
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Originally Posted by MSPeconomist
to be precise, the reverse movement (bak to a home base) constitutes deadheading too
If you'll excuse a bit of pedanticism, a deadhead is anytime a crewmember travels as a passenger, at the direction of his airline, as part of his assigned trip sequence. It is not necessary for the deadhead to involved the crewmember's domicile.

As an example, I'm based in ORD and was scheduled to fly a flight from SJU to IAD and then continue on to FLL. The SJU-IAD flight was upgauged from the 737, that I fly, to a 777 to accommodate increased cargo demand. They replaced our flying leg with a deadhead leg, on that 777, to position us for our next leg to FLL.

The summary of the new Delta pilot agreement noted a change in the first class deadhead provisions but it did not list any details.
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