Delta has reportedly agreed a deal with a pilots’ union promising to maintain its own transatlantic flights, and not outsource them to joint venture partner Virgin Atlantic.
The US airline, which also owns 49 per cent of Virgin Atlantic, made the move ahead of upcoming contract talks with unions representing its pilots, which are due to take place in the next few months.
US-based pilot unions have been concerned that Delta could switch the operation of US-UK flights to Virgin.
But Rick Dominguez, from the Air Line Pilots Association, told Bloomberg said that Delta had offered assurances to the union that it would not allow Virgin to outgrow Delta’s international operations.
Dominguez said that under the deal Virgin would be allowed to add eight long-haul aircraft to its current fleet of 38.
But after this expansion, Delta would have to ensure that it was maintaining the position where it was flying three times as much international capacity as Virgin.
Delta has yet to comment on the deal reached with the Air Line Pilots Association.