April 23, 2001

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NATIONAL MEDIATION BOARD

Re: Delta Airlines and the Air Line Pilots Association

The National Mediation Board (NMB) announced that Delta Airlines and the Air Line Pilots' Association (ALPA) have reached a tentative agreement on a new collective bargaining agreement Sunday afternoon, April 22nd. The agreement is subject to approval by the Delta pilots' Master Executive Council and the pilot membership.

Board Member Maggie Jacobsen expressed appreciation for the hard work and professionalism demonstrated by the negotiators during mediation to make the tough decisions it took to reach a voluntary agreement. This process under the Railway Labor Act commenced under the direction of Mediators John Schrage and Fred Leif in December of 2000.

Notwithstanding the recent news stories suggesting the possible failure of the Law to meet its mandate of avoiding strikes and the alarms sounded of multiple work stoppages during spring and summer, the oldest of our Nation's labor laws, the Railway Labor Act, did provide labor and management the opportunity to make comprehensive changes to their existing agreement and resolve issues in dispute.