Delta Early Out

Just heard from my aunt who is a Delta Flight Attendant about the early out they are being offered.

Eligibility Formula: Years of Service + Age = 60 (example: a 45 year old Flight Attendant with 15 years of service would be eligible for this early out program.

Here's the offer:
  • Full Retirement benefits (no early distribution offset - not sure of if this is at 55 or not)
  • Full life-time flight benefits
  • 3 months company-paid medical
  • Company paid Life Insurance
  • No loss to current accrued pension
  • Severance pay equal to one week of pay for each year of service (so if a FA makes $37,039 a year - the average Delta FA salary in 2006*, $37039/52 weeks = $712.29 a week. $712.29 x 15 = $10684.33 for a 15 year employee). This may seem less that the $1000/year package NWA provided but I think the lack of a early distribution offset on their retirement may out weigh the difference.
I've asked my aunt to send me the details to share and will post them when I get them.

* Source: Massechusetts Institute of Technology Airline Data Project (read more)