The pilots of Comair, as represented by ALPA, have ratified a concessionary labor agreement, by a narrow 50.57 percent in favor, which will provide an annual savings of $17.3 million to bankrupt Comair AirlinesDespite pilot
approval, the bankruptcy court must sanction this deal before it becomes
official.
  “This was not an easy decision, as evidenced by the slim margin of
passage,” said the Master Executive Council Chairman Capt. J.C. Lawson.  “We
hope that this considerable commitment from our membership will help Comair
improve its financial position.”
  The pilot/management settlement, known as Letter of Agreement 01-06,
reduces pay rates and retirement benefit levels, and provides other contract
relief for the company.  It also extends the current contract by four years
from the date of signing.
  Negotiations between the pilots and management began in early November
2005, following Delta’s Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing, which took place two
months earlier.  In February of that year, the pilots provided some
preliminary contract relief in exchange for fleet guarantees and a commitment
from the company for no furloughs.
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