Any "Latest & Greatest" about Delta?
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Feb 2008
Posts: 19,599
So again I ask; has Delta had new hires turning down class dates because we have 717's ?
If we get a small jet with much better performance than a MD88, 737-700, or 717 (which the CRJ900 Next Gen, E2 and C Series are) we should not assume it will be configured in some fashion to meet our current "permitted" language. If Delta pilots fly the jet there is no reason for the arbitrary configuration/limitation.
The gap between the CRJ/E170 and MD88 is enormous. The 717 is at best a placeholder with DC9 (perhaps worse) economics when the real cost of maintenance is considered. The engine saves gas in the climb, in other areas of flight it breaks even or is less efficient.
Delta, and all other carriers, are going to bridge that capacity / performance gap. If we accept your rationale, Delta pilots will lose 100 to 130 seat flying. We must be open minded and analytical.
Politically (and I'm writing this in general, not about you specifically) Bigotry is outdated and was wrong when it carried the day in ALPA. ALPA apartheid will not be tolerated by workers finally getting into the big house. The politics of this pilot group will change ... I just hope that it happens before gentlemen of our generation (perhaps not you personally) agree to outsource 100 seat flying.
If we get a small jet with much better performance than a MD88, 737-700, or 717 (which the CRJ900 Next Gen, E2 and C Series are) we should not assume it will be configured in some fashion to meet our current "permitted" language. If Delta pilots fly the jet there is no reason for the arbitrary configuration/limitation.
The gap between the CRJ/E170 and MD88 is enormous. The 717 is at best a placeholder with DC9 (perhaps worse) economics when the real cost of maintenance is considered. The engine saves gas in the climb, in other areas of flight it breaks even or is less efficient.
Delta, and all other carriers, are going to bridge that capacity / performance gap. If we accept your rationale, Delta pilots will lose 100 to 130 seat flying. We must be open minded and analytical.
Politically (and I'm writing this in general, not about you specifically) Bigotry is outdated and was wrong when it carried the day in ALPA. ALPA apartheid will not be tolerated by workers finally getting into the big house. The politics of this pilot group will change ... I just hope that it happens before gentlemen of our generation (perhaps not you personally) agree to outsource 100 seat flying.
Moderator
Joined APC: Dec 2007
Position: DAL 330
Posts: 6,991
Lots of points tp what you posted. First the company has 7 additional widebody airframes available with the end of the mod lines. 4 additional A330's will arrive in the next 12 months for a total of 11 airframes available for growth.
On the JV subject the company is out of compliance looking back 36 months however they were in compliance since last winter and are forecast to remain in compliance so it's certainly not getting worse it's getting better.
Don't know what the great ER purge is. There are none planned to be parked in the next 3 years.
As far as the diverts they did get attention at the highest levels. They are running triple other fleets and in July it got worse. Management looked at the fleets and realized they could grow the international block hours 4% for the winter and 8 percent next summer with the mod lines done, new airframes and increased utilization of the existing fleets even after parking 4 whales.
On the JV subject the company is out of compliance looking back 36 months however they were in compliance since last winter and are forecast to remain in compliance so it's certainly not getting worse it's getting better.
Don't know what the great ER purge is. There are none planned to be parked in the next 3 years.
As far as the diverts they did get attention at the highest levels. They are running triple other fleets and in July it got worse. Management looked at the fleets and realized they could grow the international block hours 4% for the winter and 8 percent next summer with the mod lines done, new airframes and increased utilization of the existing fleets even after parking 4 whales.
Sailing,
I disagree 100% on airframes returning from MOD lines as growth.
When those airframes went into MOD the company always put out a newsletter or bulletin explaining the lack of back-fill/entitlements caused by the MOD lines. So I disagree with the term "growth" attached to them since there already was a negative applied (manning wise) when they were taken out of service.
Maybe its semantics, but if you reduce/defer manning when planes are taken away I don't really see any "growth" by them returning and getting us to where we would be if they never left service in the first place.
Just my 2 cents
Scoop
Big debt form what I have heard (I haven't researched it myself since I'm not that interested in it) and they are highly leveraged to the yen. Bad juju.
Can't abide NAI
Joined APC: Jun 2007
Position: Douglas Aerospace post production Flight Test & Work Around Engineering bulletin dissembler
Posts: 12,037
ALPA should know the answer; at what cost could Delta pilots perform Delta flying? We should know this number before every small jet scope engagement with management.
You can fight me on the outsourcing of 100 seat jets for a couple of bucks on one contract and you may very well win. But the fact new hires are signing up for ALPA PAC at a rate approaching 80% communicates to me that they understand unity. The politics of our MEC is in transition. My preference is for a smooth transition where people like you and our executive administrators teach and mentor the next generation rather than alienating them to the point of disenfranchisement.
Unity is not a "bleat." Unity is the reason our predecessors created our union. Unity is why the DPA should be defeated. Unity pays you (whether you work for ALPA, or Delta). Without unity you and I are worth somewhere about what the Allegiant pilots make.
Last edited by Bucking Bar; 09-02-2014 at 04:11 PM.
DOT denies Norwegian Air International's request for exemption to start services while the DOT reviews the complete application for a permit.
DOT won?t open U.S. skies to airline ? for now - Adam Snider and Kevin Robillard - POLITICO.com
It's a victory - limited somewhat but definitely a victory.
DOT won?t open U.S. skies to airline ? for now - Adam Snider and Kevin Robillard - POLITICO.com
It's a victory - limited somewhat but definitely a victory.
Last edited by iaflyer; 09-02-2014 at 04:25 PM.
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Aug 2006
Position: A330 First Officer
Posts: 1,465
As for excluding any group that is a management decision. The reason management gave everyone profit sharing was because there was no profit. Look at what they are doing now (C2012). Coming to us to give up part of our profit sharing so they can turn around and take it from the other folks without them picking up pitchforks and threatening unionizing. That check was getting pretty sizable.
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jul 2010
Position: window seat
Posts: 12,544
On the JV subject the company is out of compliance looking back 36 months however they were in compliance since last winter and are forecast to remain in compliance so it's certainly not getting worse it's getting better.
Don't know what the great ER purge is. There are none planned to be parked in the next 3 years.
Don't know what the great ER purge is. There are none planned to be parked in the next 3 years.
In any case, I'm more concerned with the so called widebody RFP. Specifically how many of them will truly be growth, particularly from a pilot block hour standpoint. 330's and above make a horrible replacement for ER's from a pilot jobs standpoint.
No one has a straight answer for the 787 situation. Every one else is getting them but us, we have orders for them in 2020 but an RFP for possibly our own orders, and everything seems to be delayed anyway. Perhaps indecision really is the key to air power. Meanwhile the endless growth mode airlines march on, certain they will find quarter with DL who they believe is terrifed of a yield war. We'll see.
As for the great ER purge, I'm referring to all those dots on the map that the ER used to do, but now have been "re-allocated" to our code share partners. We split the seats (by split I mean they get a majority but what's a few percent amond constructively engaged friends) to AMS and CDG, and they take it from there to all those dots…many much further east…and get those block hours all to themselves.
Meanwhile we're hearing that we're thinking about deeper ties with Korean, which by all accounts is extremely arrogant in thinking they should be the dominant carrier in the alliance even though we are the only reason they exist in modern form.
Even if the 747 hours were funded by mod line returns, how is it possible that is the reason for it beind instantly becoming the reason, in the dark of night, while the bid to add positions was still live? Did they simply not know it until then? Even if it somehow results in growth, would there have been more growth if they stayed?
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jul 2010
Position: window seat
Posts: 12,544
They do seem expensive and the Yen issue is something to consider. Perfect fleet mix though. I think it all hinges on the geographic fit to the long term master plan (if any).
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Feb 2008
Posts: 2,539
We get to a stand off here very quickly. I do not believe you understand the current cost structure, nor have you ever "shut me up with the numbers" as requested. My work has been accepted by the carriers managers and underwriters to resolve disputes when aircraft have been damaged and removed from service. The numbers you rely on were generated to cost out the "benefit" of outsourcing and accepted to the extent that management, our pilots and association ratified the result..
We agree (and have both written here) that it takes a business plan both parties can agree to undo the damage which has been done to our profession. It is most unfortunate that someone with your experience would treat unity within our association as a trite notion. It is morally repugnant that our fiduciary would engage in the sale of one member's job to benefit another member. Such a subsidy is unworkable going forward. We are out of pilots to work the fields. Your own numbers show the promise of short term servitude providing a quick path to the majors does not work.
Again, a wish without a strategy is just a wish (or as I term "bleat"). We are agreed that unity pays better than disunity. But you've got to start from where we are, Bar. And you've got to bring all the players along, not just the ones that you believe will agree with you.
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