About DDPSA

DDPSA has been involved in a number of D&S Plan issues and we are confident that our involvement has influenced favorable outcomes.

• Delta bankruptcy proceedings were weathered without changes to the D&S Plan benefits of existing survivors, eligible survivors of pilots who retired before January 1, 2008 and disabled pilots who were removed from the Delta pilot seniority list on or before June 1, 2006.
• DDPSA  expressed our concern about the $60 million annual expenditure from the  D&S Trust to pay for pilot sick leave. Subsequently, ALPA was  successful in negotiating the end of that expenditure.
• DDPSA  won an appeal that required the correction of an improper Social  Security offset that had been applied to Long Term Disability benefits.  
• DDPSA discovered an improper offset was being applied to the LTD benefits of pilots who had elected a lump sum distribution from their retirement plan. The reduction to LTD benefits should be the amount of the benefit upon which the lump sum was based. However, Delta was projecting variable increases to that offset which in turn created an improper reduction to LTD benefits. After DDPSA informed ALPA and provided documentation about the problem, Delta corrected the error. 
• DDPSA's  communications with ALPA assisted in the elimination of a provision in the  D&S Plan that restricted certain survivors from marrying if they  wanted to continue receiving survivor benefits.
•  DDPSA  has helped a number of survivors who experienced difficulty in  receiving the D&S Plan benefits to which they are entitled. 

 The  latest D&S Plan financial statement (Form 5500) for the period  ending on June 30, 2023, indicates that the value of the assets of the  D&S Trust have declined to approximately $21 million.  The total  benefit obligations of the D&S Plan are estimated to be greater than  $1.75 billion. In 2007, the assets of the D&S Trust exceeded $1.7  billion and were more than sufficient to pay for all of the plan benefit  obligations.  Unfortunately, now the D&S Trust is funded primarily on a pay-as-you-go basis.

CORPORATE COUNSEL:   DDPSA’s corporate counsel is Teresa Renaker, a partner with the firm of  Renaker Scott. She has an extensive background in ERISA regulations. 

The  information on this website has been compiled from a number of public  and private sources. In some cases the information is based upon  opinions of the authors. Although the information is believed to be  accurate, no warranties on its accuracy are made or implied. Individuals  reading this information should complete their own research to  determine the accuracy of the information rather than relying solely on  the information contained herein.