Delta Air Lines on Friday said it was recalling between 60 and 70 furloughed pilots.

The company said the recalled pilots will begin training in late June and will return to line flying late summer.

Airline consultant Robert Mann said Delta may be recalling the pilots in anticipation of increased pilot retirements.

Delta could see a relatively high number of retirements by pilots in the wake of a newly ratified contract that grants the carrier about USD$280 million a year in concessions, he said.

The carrier, which filed for bankruptcy in September, says it needs USD$3 billion in cost savings and revenue increases to survive.