Engage: The Podcast for Delta Pilots

Hosted by Delta MEC Communications

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Episodes

114

Latest episode

Oct 2026

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EN-US

About the show

Engage is a product of the Delta Air Lines ALPA Master Executive Council Communications Committee. Delivering important news, information and updates, the podcast touches on all areas of being a pilot at Delta Air Lines, with an emphasis on upcoming contract negotiations and quality of life for Delta pilots.

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October 28, 2026Episode 1018 min

Engage Alert: KCM Is Going Away Next Week – What Pilots Need to Know

Known Crewmember (KCM) is officially on its way out, and the transition to Crew Member Access Point (CMAP) is accelerating. In this Engage Alert, host First Officer Ryan Argenta welcomes back Aviation Security Committee Chairman First Officer Bryan Patchen to discuss the early removal of KCM equipment, what pilots can expect at security checkpoints, and how to enroll in CMAP or troubleshoot access issues. The conversation also covers growing security concerns around the world, including civil unrest and travel advisories, along with practical tools pilots can use to stay informed and safe while on layovers. Resources: Check this week's MEC News for CMAP troubleshooting guidance and TSA contact information. Additional security resources are below. Download and use the Factal app for notifications of evolving situations Enroll in the State Department Smart Traveler Enrollment Program ( STEP )

October 23, 2026Episode 10010 min

Engage Weekly - News You Need to Know - October 23, 2026

The weekend is cleared for takeoff ✈️, and this latest edition of Engage Weekly has some positive news from the negotiating table. Get caught up on the latest news and events from the Delta MEC. News rundown below 👇 • Negotiating Committee Update — Three Sections Now Complete! • Delta MEC Holds Special Meeting Ahead of ALPA Board of Directors • Chairman's Letter — October 21 • Welcome New Hires — October 13 Class • Introducing the New ALPA App! • ALPA Board of Directors Charity Auction and Raffle • ALPA Aloha Gathering — Chicago, October 24 • Delta Pilots Charitable Fund Holiday Tie Campaign • Aviation Security Committee: CDG Security Advisory • Committee Spotlight: BOD Steering Committee • CASC: October Threat Tool Kit — LATT Calculation • Membership: A Well-Deserved Fini-Flight for Captain Bob Oltman • Support Porter Pilots — November 18 Informational Picket • Plus, important pilot information and LEC updates are available in this week's newsletter! Have a good weekend!

October 16, 2026Episode 999 min

Engage Weekly - News You Need to Know - October 16, 2026

The weekend is taxiing into view ✈️, and this latest edition of Engage Weekly has plenty on the frequency. Get caught up on the latest news and events from the Delta MEC. News rundown below 👇 Welcome Aboard — October 6 New Hire Class Introducing the New ALPA App ALPA Board of Directors Charity Auction and Raffle ALPA Aloha Gathering — Chicago DPCF Holiday Tie Campaign Now Open Hotel: What to Do When Hotel or Transportation Issues Go Sideways CASC: Air Safety Conference Strengthens Investigation Best Practices PAN: You Are Not Alone This Holiday Season AHSN: Time-Critical FAR 117 Questions Support Porter Pilots — November 18 Informational Picket in Toronto Plus, important pilot information and LEC updates are available in this week’s newsletter ! Have a good weekend!

October 9, 2026Episode 9812 min

Engage Weekly - News You Need to Know - October 9, 2026

Before taking off into this weekend, run down this checklist of the latest news from the Delta MEC: New FRMS Short Call Assignment Automation Engage: Trip Coverage Shenanigans: The ARCOS Blame Game Welcome Aboard! - September 29 New Hire Class ALPA Board of Directors Charity Auction ALPA Aloha Gathering Event – Chicago, IL DPCF Holiday Tie Campaign Now Open! Contract 2026 Swag October 12 Federal Holiday - Office Hours Check out this week's newsletter for the latest updates from our committees and local councils, plus upcoming events!

October 5, 2026Episode 9748 min

E82: Trip Coverage Shenanigans: The ARCOS Blame Game

Trip coverage shenanigans continue. Pilots are hearing the finger-pointing from management over trip coverage, ARCOS, auto-accept, and operational reliability, and many are asking a pretty simple question: How is this our problem? Engage host First Officer Ryan Argenta sits down with Delta MEC Executive Administrator Captain Rich Wheeler, Scheduling Committee Chairman Captain Ian Turner, and Vice Chairman Captain Josh Cantrell to take that question head-on. They trace how years of staffing decisions, fragile rotations, exploding open time, unrestricted ARCOS batch calls, and growing reliance on PWA Section 23 M. 7 brought trip coverage to where it is today. The group goes back to the beginning: how trips were covered before ARCOS, why nuisance calls became a problem, how pilots adapted using contractual tools like auto-accept and auto-acknowledge, and how M7 evolved from a rarely used emergency provision into what the committee describes as a routine scheduling tool. They also dig into the latest ARCOS developments, ongoing technology and implementation problems, and what pilots should and shouldn’t change about how they use the ARCOS system. There are two sides to every story. This episode gives pilots the history, context, and facts behind the trip coverage debate and asks who really owns the problem.

October 2, 2026Episode 968 min

Engage Weekly - News You Need to Know - October 2, 2026

The weekend is taxiing into view ✈️, and this latest edition of Engage Weekly has plenty on the frequency. Get caught up on the latest news and events from the Delta MEC. News rundown below 👇 • Negotiating Committee Update • ARCOS+ Mobile App Update • Welcome New Hires — September 22 Class • Mental Health in Aviation Act Clears Senate; Support Requested for the Cabin Air Safety Act • ALPA Election Season • ALPA Board of Directors Charity Auction • Contract 2026 Swag • Aviation Security: CMAP Access Issues | What Pilots Should Do • Hotel: Reminders, Recent Hotel Changes, and Upcoming Relocations • CASC: Delta ALPA Attends NATCA Communicating for Safety Conference • DPAC: The 2,000-Pound Telephone • Plus, important pilot information and LEC updates are available in this week’s newsletter! Have a good weekend!

September 7, 2026Episode 9235 min

Hold the Line: Unity Is Our Leverage

This Labor Day, Engage brings together union leadership for a wide-ranging conversation about where Delta pilots have been, where Section 6 negotiations are headed, and why the hard-fought protections in our PWA are not bargaining chips for management’s operational challenges. MEC Chairman Captain Eric Criswell and Negotiating Committee Chairman Captain Bill Finley discuss the return to a traditional Section 6 timeline, an expanded negotiating opener, management’s attempts to tie operational reliability to pilot contractual protections, and a simple message to management from the pilot group: concessions are not an option. Then, Strategic Planning Committee Chairman Evan Baach and Strike Preparedness Committee Chairman Eric Cowen take us behind the scenes of the union’s long-term strategy - from pilot unity and building leverage to the history of organized labor, the Pullman Strike, the Railway Labor Act and the generations of workers and pilots whose sacrifices built the profession we have today. The lesson of that history is as relevant now as ever: what we inherit, we have a responsibility to protect - and what Delta pilots negotiate today reaches far beyond Delta. Raise the bar. Hold the line. Stay engaged.

August 14, 2026Episode 8828 min

Engage Alert: MEC Pivots to Traditional Section 6 Negotiations

In this breaking Engage Alert, host First Officer Ryan Argenta sits down with MEC Chairman Captain Eric Criswell and Negotiating Committee Chairman Captain Bill Finlay following the MEC’s unanimous decision to pivot away from the accelerated bargaining timeline and toward a more traditional Section 6 negotiation. Criswell and Finlay explain what led to the decision, including the company’s pursuit of concessionary changes to longstanding pilot protections involving reroutes, schedule flexibility, reserve rules, payback days, and other provisions the union says pilots would not ratify. They also discuss the company’s lack of meaningful engagement on key pilot priorities and why the accelerated path ultimately became untenable. With the bargaining strategy now changing, the discussion turns to what comes next: the expected negotiating timeline, the upcoming MEC meeting in Boston, increased communication and pilot involvement and what the MEC and Negotiating Committee will need from the pilot group as negotiations enter a new and potentially longer phase. MEC Alert 26-11: What You Need to Know Negotiators' Notepad 26-03: Status of Negotiations and Next Steps

July 15, 2026Episode 8330 min

E81: PBS Upgrades Affecting All Pilots: New Tools, Better Bids

The PBS Committee is back on Engage with important updates for every Delta pilot. PBS Committee Chairman Captain Scott Ryan and Vice Chairman Captain Brett Vining join host First Officer Ryan Argenta to explain the upcoming NavBlue PBS release, including the move to single sign-on through DeltaNet, the new PBS link, and what pilots need to know before bidding for the September schedule. The episode walks through several new and optional PBS features, including total pay visibility, short call bidding, award reserve day on, auto-save, and bug fixes pilots have been asking for. Scott and Brett also explain how third-party bidding services may be affected by single sign-on and MFA requirements. Beyond the technical updates, the conversation dives into practical bidding strategy, including low-credit line techniques, why bidding smarter can improve quality of life, and how individual pilot bidding behavior can affect category staffing, reserve numbers, and premium flying. Whether you bid every month with precision or still feel like PBS is a black box, this episode offers useful updates, reminders, and strategies to help pilots better understand the system and make PBS work for them. References: PBS Notepad

July 10, 2026Episode 8219 min

E80: Scheduling: Weird Slips & Pay Traps

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

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