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ATLANTA -- Delta Air Lines cancelled about 300 flights this weekend because pilots refused to work overtime as contract talks continued between their union and the carrier. An undisclosed number of Delta flights were also cancelled today. Pilot shortage forces
Delta to cancel
300 flightsHonolulu flights unaffected, so far
From staff and wire reports
The Atlanta-based airline, the third largest in the United States, has been in negotiations with the pilots since September 1999.
Dave Bushy, Delta's senior vice president of flight operations, said this weekend the airline canceled 67 flights Friday, 148 on Saturday and expected 80 yesterday due to crew shortages. He said Delta normally operates 2,700 flights a day and on a normal day fewer than two flights are canceled due to crew shortages.
The airline could not say this morning if any Hawaii flights were affected over the weekend. Delta's Web site (http://www.delta.com) this morning listed all its Hawaii flights for today as on schedule. Delta's daily schedule is one San Francisco-Honolulu flight, three Los Angeles-Honolulu and one L.A.-Maui-Honolulu.
Many of Delta's 9,400 pilots have been declining to sign up for voluntary overtime assignments since last month when management made a proposal that the pilots consider inadequate.
Air Line Pilots Association officials say the union does not support the no-overtime campaign, but said under their contract the pilots can decide individually whether to fly extra hours.