Originally Posted by newKnow

Super!!!!

Originally Posted by satchip

Another for Super

Originally Posted by johnso29

So Delta REALLY does not know how to handle IROPS in DTW. What a disaster some snow has caused.

Nothing like being on hold for over an hour with Crew Accomodations trying to get a hotel room due to a in domicile overnight reroute(my 4th reroute on day 2 of a 4 day) only to have a 9 hour overnight.

My first 2 16.5 hour overnights have been less then 12 now. I wonder what tomorrow holds in store for me.

Originally Posted by newKnow

Yes. That's exactly what I was thinking.

Originally Posted by E1Out

I think discussing an SLI with Alaska is extremely premature, but I'd like to state my argument on principle...

First, I agree that to a CERTAIN extent, this industry is a crapshoot. You're right - UAL, TWA and PanAm are all good examples of this. Another good example would be life in general. Right now, I'm a happy healthy airline pilot. Tomorrow I could be hit by a bus, and be a miserable paraplegic on disability. Who knows?

But when we're talking about Delta Airlines purchasing Alaska Airlines, we're talking about something different. UAL's suffering is due to bad management - not an SLI. TWA and PanAm pilots were forced to accept a "less than career expectation SLI" because they had no other choice - it was that, or hit the unemployment line. The fate of the TWA, PanAm and UAL pilots are the equivalent of being hit by a bus. If DAL buys Alaska, both pilot groups have choices, and as such, I think we ought to CHOOSE to preserve everyone's career expectations to the best of our abilities.

For instance, I only applied to 4 majors, with these 3 career expectations in mind:

1. Passenger flying
2. NYC base
3. WB International flying

I think it's a "reasonable" career expectation that DAL isn't going to turn into a cargo carrier, close their NYC base, or turn into an NB Domestic carrier anytime in the next 10 years. I never expected DAL to stay exactly "as is." This is my 3rd airline, I've been furloughed - I know the drill - we could get hit by a bus. But I weighed a LOT of factors in coming here - and even with the merger of NWA and a purchase of Alaska, DAL will still meet my "career expectations." And yet, due to "minimal fences," *I* may not be able to achieve them, because some NWA and Alaska pilots (who NEVER had those expectations) will be taking my place instead. I don't think that's fair. I might as well have just gone to the NYC based NB domestic carrier that also made me an offer.

Second, I don't believe that merging by category is fair either. I am NOT a NB Domestic pilot by choice - I'm stuck there because of the economy and the NWA merger. But the Alaska pilots ARE NB Domestic by CHOICE, because they CHOSE to work for an airline that doesn't have WB Intl flying in their business model or plans for the future. If we simply maintained the code-share for a few more months or years, I would be WB Intl getting SLI-ed at a higher ratio - and the Alaska pilots would still be merged at the same NB Domestic ratio they would be today. Why should my future company seniority be lumped in with theirs?

Third, I agree that lifetime fences or any extreme form of fences is detrimental to the company's bottom line - which ultimately protects ALL of our seniority. However, fences for 5-10 years, gives the people who rightfully applied to their respective companies with certain reasonable career expectations, a chance to GET ON the equipment and INTO the bases they wanted before someone else has the chance. Of course, I also believe the Alaska flying should be fenced as well. I'm sure their pilots don't want our guys swarming their LAX and SEA bases a year from now.

I understand that "minimal fences" is better for the bottom line - but I bet there are plenty of management types out there that might argue that paying every pilot less than $100/hr is better for the bottom line as well. And I don't see us accepting that...?

Originally Posted by flyguy1

I missed the first 45 minutes, but here are some of the highlights of the meeting.

-1.5-1.9 Billion loss in 2009
Actually 1.1 Billion EBIT
End the year with approx $5.4 billion in unrestricted liquidity and will maintain that level of liquidity for 2010 while paying down a little over $1 billion in debt.
-250+/- million profit in 2010
-In 2010, Atlantic will be down 4-5%, Domestic up 1%, Latin up 9% and Pacific up 2%. (Only Latin made $ in 2009)
-LGA DOJ approval should happen anyday
-LGA growth will start in May, and remaing growth in June and July
-Applied for DTW-Sao Paulo
-Parking 50 RJ's this year
-If JAL goes through, 16 MD90s will more than likely be a part of the deal
This is the asset backed financing that is included in the deal and the aircraft would be used as GROWTH aircraft.
-Flight Ops has proposed a GUM base, but has not been approved. If approved, award will be in the May/June AE.
I am not so sure that they committed to the May AE, they did say that network has proposed the base but they need to ensure that the flying will be for at least 18 months
-Most training for current AE will be done by June. Remaining training will be after summer.
-Currently fat on pilots, but we will barely have enough to get us through July peak in flying. No plans for hiring this year, maybe next year. Jan, Feb, March 2011 timeframe
-Our plan is to grow by 5-6%, but oil could affect all plans. Business model has oil at $87. If it goes above that our LC competion hurst sooner than we do. We can recoup about 35% of the oil rise through fare increases.
-Not concerned about Air Tran in MKE. It means less flying out of ATL...good for us, and more flying siphoned from ORD/MDW....bad for UAL/AA.
-757-300 will be flying less to HNL and more hub to hub.
-DC-9 and 757-300 will be deployed in small doses to ATL
All Saab's will be gone in next two years
Network will limit 50 seat RJ's to shorter range
Better performance in the merger synergies than originally forecast
Currently seeing better RASM than anticipated
Bullish on 2010 and if economy maintains, look for international expansion in 2011.


The last hour turned into a bit of a gripe session, but it was pretty tame.
My overall take was "we have a plan right now, but we are ready to adjust as the economy and oil change."

Originally Posted by Desperado

Dear Doctor Clamp,

P.P.S. Do you think that a motorcycle is a good investment?

Mired in Motown

Originally Posted by johnso29

So Delta REALLY does not know how to handle IROPS in DTW. What a disaster some snow has caused.

Nothing like being on hold for over an hour with Crew Accomodations trying to get a hotel room due to a in domicile overnight reroute(my 4th reroute on day 2 of a 4 day) only to have a 9 hour overnight.

My first 2 16.5 hour overnights have been less then 12 now. I wonder what tomorrow holds in store for me.