Engage: The Podcast for Delta Pilots

Not all premium trips are created equal.  In this episode of Engage, Scheduling Committee Chairman Captain Ian Turner and Vice Chairman Captain Josh Cantrell join host, First Officer Ryan Argenta, to break down some of the most misunderstood scheduling tools in the contract. From Green Slips with Conflict and Inverse Assignment with Conflict to Reserve with Conflict, reroute pay, and Quick Slips, the discussion focuses on how pilots can avoid common pay misconceptions and make informed decisions before accepting additional flying.

The committee explains why conflict flying is often misunderstood as "triple pay," walks through real-world examples of when these tools can be highly advantageous - and when they may not be so lucrative -and highlights the importance of understanding the actual pay treatment behind the terminology. The episode also covers updates on Quick Slips, common reroute pay misunderstandings, and the growing importance of lesser-used scheduling provisions as trip coverage challenges continue across the operation. Whether you're looking to maximize pay, improve quality of life, or simply avoid a costly scheduling mistake, this episode provides practical guidance every pilot should know before clicking “Accept”.

Resources: Scheduling Reference Handbook

MEC Alert: Optimize Your Schedule 

The holiday weekend is cleared for takeoff 🇺🇸, and this latest edition of Engage Weekly brings the fireworks.

Get caught up on the latest news and events from the Delta MEC.

News rundown below 👇

• Happy Fourth of July | Delta MEC Office Hours

• Engage Episode: Following the Money: Dues Down, Value Up, Money Back in Your Pocket

• Welcome New Hires! June 23 Class

• Feedback Requested: Rate Your Pilot/Flight Operations Experience

• Your Upcoming Dues Return Offer: Watch Your Email

• Join Delta MEC Volunteers at Oshkosh!

• Contract Administration: Crew Meals Settlement Agreement and Grievance Tracker

• CASC: Air Traffic Services Meeting, Palm Beach Airport Renaming, and Threat Tool Kit on Diversions

• PAN: Summer Stress and Burnout

• DPAC: Denial Is Not a River in Egypt

• Plus, committee and LEC updates are available in this week’s newsletter!

Have a safe Fourth of July weekend!

What exactly does ALPA National's Executive Council do and why should Delta pilots care? Host First Officer Ryan Argenta sits down with Delta pilot and ALPA Executive Vice President Captain Reed Donoghue for a behind-the-scenes look at one of the least visible but most impactful areas of the Association.

Reed explains how the Executive Council serves as ALPA's fiduciary, oversees spending, approves major initiatives, and shapes policy that affects pilots across the industry. The conversation dives into ALPA's strong financial position, the proposed dues reduction from 1.85% to 1.55%, recent dues returns, and efforts to push more resources directly back to MECs, LECs, and pilot services.

Reed also discusses how pilot-driven policy changes make their way through the organization, why engagement matters, and how line pilots can help shape the future of the Association. Whether you've ever wondered where your dues go, how ALPA's budget is managed, or why pilot participation matters, this episode provides an informative look at the work happening behind the scenes on behalf of Delta pilots.

The weekend is taxiing into position , and this latest edition of Engage Weekly is ready for departure.

Get caught up on the latest news and events from the Delta MEC.

News rundown below

• Feedback Requested: Rate Your Pilot/Flight Operations Experience

• Engage Episode #78: Scheduling Shenanigans | Trip Coverage

• UNH Polling: June 23 – July 2

• Your Upcoming Dues Return Offer: Watch Your Email

• Join Delta MEC Volunteers at Oshkosh!

• Training: E-Learning Updates

• FTDT: Delta’s FRMS Authorizations

• DPAC: Confidential Help for Delta Pilots

• Plus, committee and LEC updates are available in this week’s newsletter!

Have a good weekend!

What is actually going on with trip coverage, ARCOS, premium flying, and all those “weird slips” pilots keep seeing in the operation? In this episode of Engage, host First Officer Ryan Argenta sits down with Scheduling Committee Chair Ian Turner and Vice Chair Josh Cantrell to break down the current state of Delta’s trip coverage process during the summer operations push.

The conversation covers open time, M7 usage, ARCOS delays, auto-accept, auto-acknowledge, out-of-base white slips, quick slips, inverse assignments, and the growing complexity of covering trips across the system. Ian and Josh explain why pilots using contractual scheduling tools are not the root cause of the current challenges, how technology and process delays are affecting coverage, and why premium flying data may not tell the full story when viewed through green slips alone.

If you’ve wondered why trips seem to disappear after an ARCOS award, why coverage feels slower than it used to, whether pilots are “clogging the system,” or whether you should change how you use your contractual scheduling options, this episode is for you.

The weekend has pushed back from the gate ✈️, and this latest edition of Engage Weekly is cleared for takeoff.

Get caught up on the latest news and events from the Delta MEC.

News rundown below 👇

• Delta MEC June Meeting Highlights

• Negotiating Committee Update

• BOS Local Council

• University of New Hampshire Polling Begins June 23

• Juneteenth Holiday Hours

• Delta MEC Swag Store

• Delta Pilots Charitable Fund: 2025 Summary Report

• Welcome to Our Newest Delta Pilots — June 9 New Hire Class

• Your Upcoming Dues Return Offer: Watch Your Email

• Join Delta MEC Volunteers at Oshkosh!

• Moved? Update Your Contact Information to Receive Union Updates

• Happy Father’s Day from the Delta MEC

• Plus, committee and LEC updates are available in this week’s newsletter!

Have a good weekend!

The weekend has kicked off ⚽️, and this latest edition of Engage Weekly is truly a keeper. Get caught up on the latest news and events from the Delta MEC. News rundown below 👇

Have a good weekend!

What exactly is LOSA, and who is that pilot sitting in your jumpseat? In this episode of Engage, host First Officer Ryan Argenta sits down with Casey Songster, 737 First Officer and Vice Chair of the SMS Subcommittee within the Central Air Safety Committee (CASC), to break down the Line Operations Safety Audit (LOSA) program. Casey explains how LOSA fits into Delta’s Safety Management System (SMS), what LOSA observers are actually looking for, and why the program is designed to identify operational risks—not evaluate individual pilots. 

The conversation covers confidentiality, de-identification, observer selection, pilot participation, and how LOSA data helps both ALPA and the Company better understand threats, error chains, and opportunities for risk mitigation across the operation. If you’ve ever wondered who that person in your jumpseat is, what happens to the information collected during a LOSA observation, or how pilots contribute to safety programs behind the scenes, this episode is for you. 

Hello June, and hello to this new edition of Engage Weekly! Get a recap of the MEC's and stay tuned for updates from your Union when they head to SLC next week for their next regular meeting. All links and additional information can be found in this week's MEC News! 

Here's what's on the radar from this week's Engage Weekly!