ATLANTA (AP) Delta Air Lines pilots are saying at arbitration hearings that they want their seniority list merged with the Northwest Airlines pilot list based on status and aircraft category. Meanwhile, Northwest pilots insist the fairest method is to merge the lists based on date of hire.

The arguments were laid out during closed-door hearings that began Thursday in California.

The media has been barred from the hearings, which will continue later this month. The Associated Press obtained transcripts of the sessions so far.

The two sides have been in a stalemate over how to integrate their seniority lists after Atlanta-based Delta acquires Northwest later this year.

Pilots at the top of the seniority list get first choice on vacations, the best routes and the bigger planes that they get paid more for flying.

Northwest pilots tend to be older than Delta pilots because many senior pilots retired from Delta during the run-up to the airline's 2005 bankruptcy filing.

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)