ASA Employees Transferred to Delta

Ground service employees for Atlantic Southeast Airlines have joined Delta as the airline’s major partner takes over ground handling at its trouble-plagued airport where late flights and baggage mishandling is a major problem. The move happened on June 1, when 1,230 gate agents, baggage handlers and employees who fuel aircraft were absorbed, increasing Delta’s ground staff by 25 percent to 6,000 and dropping ASA’s total employee numbers from 6,000 to 4,700. ASA flies one in six Delta passengers at Atlanta. The effort is expected to increase on-time performance as well its mishandled baggage rate. The move is a plus for ASA employees who will get extra pay along with more intensive training. Delta indicated improved stats will also result from more flexible gate operation as ASA’s operations are folded into the ground handling Delta already does for other Connection partners.