A tentative labor agreement reached between Delta Air Lines and its pilots on Friday was met with relief and some criticism by travelers at Salt Lake City International Airport, Delta's third-largest hub.
Delta pilots, who are represented by the Air Line Pilots Association, said in a statement that they had reached a tentative agreement with management "after countless meetings between the union's and the company's negotiators."
Details of the agreement were not disclosed. The agreement must still be presented to the pilot body for a vote and is subject to approval by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court.
While the agreement averted a possible strike that could have occurred as early as Monday, some travelers on Friday still had concerns about the dispute.
Marina Noble of Roy said news of the strike caused her to worry about her return trip on Friday to Salt Lake City from Chile.
"I was wondering if a strike would have stranded me in Atlanta with my four kids," Noble said. "What would I have done with my kids?"
The tentative agreement was reached a day before an arbitration panel was set to decide whether to grant Delta's request to reject its contract with pilots and impose more than $300 million in pay and benefits cuts.
The airline, which has been operating under bankruptcy protection since September, has said that the cuts are necessary to its efforts to cut $1.9 billion in yearly costs, which are key to its plan to emerge from bankruptcy in 2007.
"We're very relieved that it didn't interfere with our travel plans," said William Harris, along with his family, was returning to their San Diego home Friday after visiting Park City this week. "Hopefully they will work out an arrangement that works for both sides."
Lawrence McClellan, of Los Angeles, arrived in Salt Lake on Friday for a weekend getaway but did not seem concerned about the possible strike.
"I hadn't flown on Delta for probably 10 years," McClellan said. "The seats were uncomfortable, but the service was good."
Adam Bluhm, of Houston, arrived in Salt Lake City on business and said Delta's financial problems and pilots' strike threats have convinced him to change carriers.
"If they're having the problems that they are having, then I would rather go with a more reliable airline," Bluhm said. "If they are having problems with their pilots, then I don't want to take the risk."
Bluhm's sentiment was shared by other Delta travelers.
Bill Linehan, of Newtown, Conn., told the Associated Press that he had been a frequent Delta flier for years but planned to switch airlines after receiving poor service on his family's flight Friday for a vacation to the Virgin Islands.
During a layover in Atlanta, he said a Delta employee told him the family couldn't be booked on a connecting flight with another airline because the company could not afford it.
"When the guy says, 'I can't help you because of our financial condition,' there's a huge problem," said Linehan, who said he has seen a drop-off in customer service since Delta filed for bankruptcy. "I've been holding out; I've been loyal to Delta, but it's time for a change."
Contributing: Jenifer K. Nii
E-mail: danderton@desnews.com