Archive for the ‘Delta Air Lines’ Category

Worth noting, but keep in mind this is a Democrat pushing for action in a GOP-controlled U.S. House. From The Hill newspaper:

Rep. Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.) on Wednesday threatened to push for an antitrust examination of Delta Air Lines, for what he said was a broken promise by the airline to maintain current service levels in Memphis, Tenn.

Cohen was reacting to what he said was a decision by Delta to cancel summer flights between Memphis and Amsterdam, and said it was the latest of a “growing string of broken promises” by the airline.

- By Jim Galloway, Political Insider

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Continue reading Tenn. lawmaker threatens Delta antitrust hearing »

If we’ve given the impression that Gov. Nathan Deal has only spoken up for a statewide transportation sales tax, we hereby apologize.

Deal’s not merely dipping a toe in the water. He’s hip-deep in the effort.

Click here to see the invitation for a May 23 fundraiser for the statewide arm of the campaign, hosted by the governor but held at the Atlanta home of former Cousins Properties CEO Tom Bell.

Just in case you’ve got some loose change in your pocket, you can become a “platinum” sponsor for only $100,000. Which is no big deal. The metro Atlanta sales tax campaign has a category for gifts of $250,000 and more.

Deal also hosted a fundraiser in Savannah this week. And will show up at yet another in Augusta next month.

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This is the upset that has Washington talking this morning. From the Lincoln, Neb., Journal Star:

In a dramatic, come-from-behind dash to the finish line late Tuesday evening, state Sen. Deb Fischer of Valentine laid claim to the Republican Senate …

Continue reading Your morning jolt: Nathan Deal raises big money for transportation sales tax campaign »

My AJC colleague Daniel Malloy today writes on the revival of the triangular fight involving Delta Air Lines, unions and the continued funding of the Federal Aviation Administration:

A stopgap funding measure expires in less than two weeks, and both Republicans and Democrats say they want to avoid a repeat of the 13-day shutdown in late July and early August. That stalemate forced 4,000 FAA employees — not including air traffic controllers — and 70,000 contract workers temporarily off the job.

Atlanta-based Delta Air Lines is a major player in the debate:

[T]he chief sticking point — a decision by the National Mediation Board to issue a new rule that makes it easier for employees in the airline and railroad industries to unionize — remains unresolved, and the clock is ticking….

Sen. Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., sponsored a resolution in the Senate condemning the decision, but it failed in a floor vote. House Transportation Committee Chairman John Mica, R-Fla., inserted a provision …

Continue reading On some timely campaign contributions by Delta Air Lines »

Some 4,000 employees of the Federal Aviation Administration will remain furloughed through Labor Day, and Atlanta-based Delta Air Lines is catching some of the blame.

Rules governing the unionization of the transportation industry is at the bottom of the congressional stalemate. The background from the Washington Post:

The arrival of an Obama appointee shifted the balance of power on the three-member National Mediation Board, and shortly thereafter the NMB issued a rule change. It said that union efforts to organize airlines should be decided by a simple majority of ballots cast.

Before that ruling, airline unionization had been governed by a rule that said eligible voters in a unionization effort who did not cast a ballot would be recorded as voting against the union.

The new rule would apply to all airlines, but it’s most immediate potential impact would be to Delta Airlines, where unionization efforts have been defeated.

The House this year passed an FAA reauthorization …

Continue reading Delta Air Lines named as party to FAA shutdown »

You can talk about U.S. Rep. Anthony Weiner and the power of Twitter all you want.

But this video, made inflight on a Delta airliner by U.S. soldiers on their way home from Afghanistan on Tuesday, shows the real influence of social media:

Given the space restrictions, the video shows excellent stagecraft and is helped immensely by a no-nonsense director — a staff sergeant who immediately puts his own name behind his complaint. More details can be found here.

Forcing sweat to appear on the upper lip of a New York congressman is a small trick compared to sending a multi-billion dollar organization into bent-knee apology mode.

The following Delta press release moved at 1 p.m. today:

Delta Air Lines (NYSE: DAL) today increased its free checked baggage allotment for U.S. Military traveling on orders in Economy Class to four checked bags.

Delta’s revised baggage policy also allows U.S. military personnel traveling on orders in First and Business Class to check up to five bags …

Continue reading To gauge power of social media, don’t look at Anthony Weiner – Delta’s the example »

And you were wondering why — unlike you — certain Georgia lawmakers have a smile on their faces when headed to Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport.

Delta Air Lines has given upgrades to some of the more powerful people in the state Capitol. From Richard Belcher and Channel 2 Action News:

Delta valued the gold medallions at just under $1,600 and gave them to Rep. Jay Roberts, chairman of the House Transportation Committee; Sen. Ronnie Chance, chairman of the Economic Development Committee; and House Majority Leader Larry O’Neal.

Receiving platinum medallions valued at just under $2,400 were Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle; House Speaker pro tem Jan Jones; Senate President pro tem Tommie Williams; and former House majority leader Jerry Keen, who got his medallion after deciding not to run last year.

It was a campaign contribution to someone without a campaign.

Last month, state lawmakers extended a fuel tax break for Delta that will save the company $30 million over two years. The …

Continue reading Your morning jolt: Delta gives upgrades to Casey Cagle, state lawmakers »

State Rep. Mike Jacobs, R-Atlanta, chairman of the Legislature’s MARTA oversight committee, will hold a hearing next week on rider safety within the transit system.

State Rep. Mike Jacobs, R-Atlanta, chairman of MARTOC. AJC file

The MARTOC chairman announced the hearings only days after a late-night gang attack of two Delta flight attendants in a train car on their way to Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport.

Jacobs told Denis O’Hayer of WABE (90.1 FM):

”Anecdotally, it wasn’t too, too long ago that you could ride a MARTA train and you were almost certain to see an officer walking back and forth, from the front of the train to the back, and then back again. These days, you’re much less likely to see officers on trains – although to be sure they can be found around the MARTA system.”

Mark your calendars for 2 p.m. Tuesday, May 3, in Room 406 of the CLOB.

Jacobs tantalized O’Hayer — and later, the Insider — with a possible deal that might be struck. The Atlanta lawmaker this …

Continue reading Your morning jolt: Hearing to examine rider safety on MARTA »

Last week, after a heated debate and a 113-61 vote, the House passed a two-year sales tax break for Delta Air Lines on its jet fuel purchases.

Among the loudest opponents were Democratic lawmakers from Clayton County, home to Delta headquarters, which stands to lose $26 million a year from the tax break:

Rep. Darryl Jordan, D-Riverdale, was quoted as saying that the company did not approach anyone in the Clayton delegation about the exemption, and that the school system is trying to fill a $43 million deficit. (Of these two reasons, the snub is often the more important one in a status-conscious Capitol. No doubt House Republican leaders also failed to consult with Clayton Democrats.)

On Monday night, House Majority Leader Larry O’Neal, R-Bonaire, in an interview with Nwandi Lawson, offered to resolve Clayton’s problem:

Said O’Neal:

”If Clayton County is the least bit unhappy with contributing their SPLOST penny to keeping Delta Airlines headquartered here, my county we’ll …

Continue reading ‘If Clayton County doesn’t want Delta, we’ll take it,’ says state lawmaker »