Delta May Dump Comair, Flight Attendants Threaten Strike

If you think service with a smile is a rare commodity in airlines today, we can only imagine how hard it would be for Comair flight attendants to keep a positive attitude at these rates. The Delta-owned regional carrier is asking a bankruptcy court to allow a pay reduction of more than $10,000 annually, leaving the average Comair attendant with a salary of less than $18,000. The attendants have threatened to strike and bankruptcy judge Adlai Hardin has recommended the two sides negotiate a deal rather than have him rule on it. It’s all part of a restructuring bid put forth by the wholly-owned subsidiary of Delta that the parent company’s CFO says may be rewarded by an attempt to sell the regional carrier. “If Comair is able to restructure, we will explore the possibility of monetization,” Edward Bastian told the court. Comair filed for bankruptcy last September with Delta and says it needs $42.3 million in annual cost cuts to make ends meet. It wants $8.9 million to come from its 970 flight attendants. The attendants, represented by the Teamsters, say that puts too much of the load on them. The members have already approved strike action. “That is certainly a serious action that we have to look at,” union spokeswoman Victoria Gray told The Associated Press.