Delta Airlines pilots picket for better working conditions outside MSP

Pilots for Delta Airlines picketed outside Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport Thursday.

Hundreds gathered to call on the airline to make changes, saying the schedules they work right now have left them exhausted.

They want to see the airline match the number of flights to the current staffing level.

“These pilots are here on their days off to visibly vent their frustrations to Delta management, tell Delta management they need to address our poor quality and fatiguing schedules,” said Captain Jason Ambrosi, a pilot for Delta Airlines.

This demonstration was not just a local picketing effort. Pilots in several cities, including Seattle and Salt Lake City, were upset over scheduling and held protests there.

Delta Airlines issued a written statement, saying in part: “The demonstration did not disrupt operations,” adding that “Pilot schedules remain in line with all requirements set by the FAA as well as those outlined in the pilot contract.”