American air travel organisation Delta Airlines has announced that it will give its ground and flight attendant employees a 5% pay increase as of 1 April.
All 90,000 employees worldwide are included, apart from those covered by an industry or government requirement, or a collective bargaining agreement. This raise, which also includes a 5% pool for eligible merit employees, means that staff will have received a 9% pay increase within the last year in total, including the 4% rise they had in May 2022.
According to the airline, the pay hike is a continuation of its investment in its people. Last month, Delta employees earned $563 million (£465.6 million) in profit sharing after the business reported strong earnings in 2022. On 14 February, also known as Employee Appreciation Day at the airline, employees will receive a profit-sharing payment that equates to 5.57% of their eligible 2022 earnings.
Ed Bastian, chief executive at Delta Airlines, said in a memo sent to staff: “It’s hard to believe we’re just a few weeks into the new year with all we’ve already accomplished together. With the pandemic now behind us, we are focused on elevating our world-class performance and service to widen the gap with our competitors. When we deliver for our customers, their loyalty drives continued reinvestment in you and our business.
“I’m confident that in the months and years ahead, our high-performance culture will take us to new heights, and that payout pool will continue to grow. I continue to be incredibly proud of this team and optimistic about what’s on the horizon.”
Delta offers its US-based staff 401(k) pension contributions of up to 9%, consisting of fixed 3% contributions and up to 6% matching contributions, enhanced health and wellbeing programmes, $1,000 (£827) contribution to an emergency savings plan offered to employees who complete a financial education and coaching programme, and up to $2,500 (£2,067) in available incentives with its health and wellbeing rewards.
