ASA Grounds 40 Percent of Airline Fleet

Atlanta-based Atlantic Southeast Airlines, a Delta Air Lines connection partner, announced that it has grounded 40 percent of its fleet for engine safety inspections.

ASA, a subsidiary of Utah-based Skywest Inc., said it grounded 60 jets following an internal audit that raised issues regarding engine inspections meeting manufacturer’s guidelines. The matter was self-reported to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and the carrier voluntarily put its planes on the shelf.

The airline reported that the impacted planes were 50-seat Bombardier CRJ200 aircraft.

Despite $1.4 Billion Loss in 2008 Q4, Delta Looks to Take Off

New numbers released regarding Delta Air Lines' financial health were not good today, with the carrier saying it lost $1.4 billion in the last three months of 2008.

According to Delta officials, 2009 consolidated passenger unit revenue was likely to decrease by four percent.

Revenue for the world's largest carrier increased 43 percent to $6.7 billion in the quarter, compared to $4.7 billion in 2007, as Delta finalized its purchase of Northwest on in late October.

The decrease in revenue in the latest fourth quarter included a $904 million charge related to employee equity awards. Delta reiterated its previously announced move to trim systemwide capacity 6 percent to 8 percent in 2009.

Analysts predict that Delta will post another loss for the first quarter of this year, but to start turning a profit as the year moves on.

According to Delta CEO Richard Anderson in a released statement, "I want to thank my 85,000 Delta colleagues for their outstanding achievements in 2008 -- a year where we not only faced the severe challenges brought on by over $2 billion in increased fuel costs and the onset of a global recession, but also closed our merger with Northwest and began a smooth integration process. Despite the difficult economic environment, we expect to be solidly profitable in 2009 driven by lower fuel costs, capacity discipline, and merger synergies. Delta people have a great track record for achieving their goals, and I am confident that 2009 will be another successful year."

Delta Air Lines Inc. operates Delta, Northwest Airlines, Comair, Mesaba Airlines and Compass Airlines.

Delta Flight Attendant Sues; Claims She Was Denied Work

Both JetBlue Airways and Atlanta-based Delta Air Lines are being sued by a flight attendant who claims a male employee denied her a work-related flight because her outfit was not provocative enough.

According to the lawsuit, Karin Keegan, 37, of Pittsburgh, who works for Delta, which has an agreement for JetBlue to ferry Delta flight attendants to job assignments on a standby basis, claimed a male JetBlue worker wouldn't allow her on a flight in October 2007 because she wasn't dressed provocatively enough. The worker then reportedly permitted other flight attendants with less seniority to board the plane.

In part, the lawsuit states that "Keegan changed into more provocative clothes, but (the employee) told her she was too late to board the plane and should have dressed like that before." Her attorney claims that the worker wanted Keegan to change to a lower-cut shirt and tighter pants, and wear more makeup before letting her on the flight.

According to the lawsuit, Delta and JetBlue officials refused to intercede when she complained.

Delta Passenger Subdued After Claiming to Have Bomb

A normal trip to the West Coast from Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport proved anything but Wednesday afternoon.

A Delta Air Lines passenger, who stated he was carrying a bomb and refused to cooperate with flight attendants, was subdued by fellow passengers.

The male passenger, who reportedly lunged for the emergency exit door, was taken down by at least a half dozen passengers on the Flight #110 from Atlanta to Los Angeles shortly after 1 p.m. EST. as the flight was close to landing at LAX.

The flight, carrying some 250 passengers, landed safely in Los Angeles.

Delta Offering Voluntary Severance Payouts

Atlanta-based Delta Air Lines announced Friday that it will offer voluntary severance payouts to a large number of the 75,000 employees at Delta and Northwest's mainline operations as part of a plan to eliminate an unspecified number of jobs.

Chief Executive Richard Anderson and President Ed Bastian reported in a memo to employees that the program is similar to one earlier this year that Delta used to cut approximately 4,000 jobs. Northwest had already trimmed jobs of its own before being acquired by Delta on Oct. 29.

According to executives, the cuts are needed because Delta will be reducing systemwide capacity next year by 6 percent to 8 percent as the weak economy has eroded demand for seats on airplanes.

The entire company, including regional subsidiaries Comair, Mesaba and Compass, fields approximately 85,000 employees. The 12,000 pilots of Delta and Northwest and a number of management and administrative employees do not qualify for the voluntary severance programs.

According to the company, the voluntary severance programs, to be offered next month, include one for employees with 10 or more completed years of service, whose completed years of age and service add up to at least 55. The second program is an early-out program to be offered to those employees who do not qualify for the first program but who are frontline/contract ground and flight attendant employees with five or more years of service and merit/salaried employees hired before the first of next year.