acl65pilot

Same here. I know CA's that like Yellow or Orange for the flights Eastbound and Westbound we use Blue. That way there is no mistaking the route on the same enroute chart.

TANSTAAFL

The liability thing is another Red Herring. Almost every other airline had their own FAA approved manuals that were far better than the factory, which is more a minimum standard.

There is no excuse in our world for lack of standardization - I don't buy the liability, we might be checked on it nonsense - now we are checked to two standards - the schoolhouse and the way we "really" do it.

I hear the liability excuse all the time - I think it's just a weak excuse for sloppy airmanship

iaflyer

I think I got on the plane after you...



Courtesy of one of our young passengers!

acl65pilot

Slow, great points, I also stated that we could look at variances and or other options.
Sorry I put 401C that was a mistake, looking at some other stuff on my side of things and that was on my mind, should have said 415C

I know I am one that like to have as much money in a tax deferred account as possible. I know I would put at much as I could there since these types of payments are taxed at a much higher rate if they are paid to you in the form of a bonus check.

That said, I know many would want the cash.

So lets talk about this. How could we have the option of putting it in a 415C et al but allow pilots the option to take the cash instead. I am stumped, but I would like to give them that option. I guess we could have two options on what the payment is called to get around the goose and gander issues with said payments.
Thoughts?

acl65pilot

Tell that to the lawyers who advise this airline. I believe they would disagree whole heartedly with you.

The issue was not that we could not or did not build upon the baseline guidance from said manufacturer, it was that our procedures and policies varied greatly, and for that reason they were standardized.

As for you last comment, I also disagree. It is not a excuse, weak or otherwise for sloppy airmanship. It has nothing to do with it. Swissair 111 was the catalyst for this.

One thing that all must realize is that part of the DAL culture and business is that it is very legal. The use of directives or suggestives in our book is really the baseline on our end. Look at the release you sign. Again legal. We are a legally minded corporation that has the goal to mitigate exposure and liability as much as possible. It may not make you happy that it is this way, but it is the reason why it is this way.

I could go on, but suffice to say, the general counsel of DAL is consulted continually.

Tomcat

Funny thing going through training at NATCO... I asked the North Captain, "What's the big deal about the 500' call?" He asked me what I meant? Apparently, all of us South guys think it was a previous NWA callout, and all of the North guys think it was a South callout. Someone on the 4th floor has to be getting a laugh out of this.

acl65pilot

Tomcat. I knew it was not a NWA call. It is something they added due to the unusually high amount of unstabalized approaches that FOQA is detecting.

dragon

Heard the same thing about our "quiet approaches". Was told it was a North thing but the North guys were thanking us for that 'improvement', someone like you said is having a very good laugh. However, in this case, he can laugh all he wants because this was a great improvement!

TANSTAAFL

And you don't think every other major airline, including fNWA has/had the same liability concerns, consultation, and legal issues? This is hardly unique to the DAL culture. Frankly if it was I think they would be a lot more standardized, not less.

Assuming the legal concerns are common, explain the difference between DAL manuals and training. Also explain why flying differently than you train helps that argument. I'll take your response off the air if you prefer, otherwise I'll lend you a shovel

acl65pilot

NEW YORK (MarketWatch) -- Delta Air Lines requested a code-sharing agreement with Brazilian low-cost carrier Gol Linhas that could boost its international traffic to the world's ninth largest economy.

The code share, if approved by regulators, would initially allow Delta (NYSEAL) ticket sales to include 45 Gol flights departing Brasilia, Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo to other destinations in the country.

Beginning in June, frequent-flier program members will be able to earn and redeem points through both airline programs.

"We are very pleased to join efforts with a global carrier like Delta, as our SMILES program members will be able to earn and redeem miles on worldwide flights," said Gol Executive Vice President Claudia Pagnano. "The agreement will also increase passenger traffic and load factor on Gol."

The deal echoes a similar partnership announced earlier this month between American Airlines and budget-carrier JetBlue Airways (NASDAQ:JBLU) in New York. As legacy carriers focus more on their higher-margin long-haul and international routes, regional budget carries are stepping in to offer regional service. Read more about the American-JetBlue deal.

Delta Air Lines is the world's largest carrier and Latin America is its fourth largest market. Only American Airlines has more traffic to the continent.

Latin American regional traffic has climbed sharply for Delta this year, up 25.4% as of March to 71.5 million revenue passenger miles.

Gol Linhas (NYSE:GOL) said it is Latin America's largest budget carrier with some 64 regional destinations.