acl65pilot

We could but the RLA makes it difficult to make any progress with this. We need to make them want to negotiate.

Tomcat

Hey Slowplay,
we're all in this together.... I'm part of the pilot group, part of the "culture" for the good and bad of our pilot group. I can't think of anywhere else I would rather be. If you look back in the thread a couple of pages, I was soliciting "ideas" regarding the creep of SCOPE. Look at Av Week on any given week. One of the big stories, the next market for A/C manufactures and airlines is the 90-130 seat market.

With that in mind, looking forward, I'm asking you, "What are your ideas regarding this flying"? No trick, no set-up, I really want to know. Perhaps you can share a fresh viewpoint on this issue.

Respectfully,

TC

acl65pilot

I agree Tomcat. We need to figure out a way to get those airline manufacturers to target the mainline and its pilots for these jets. Those are bigger than a DC-9 and are the size of a 319 and and 737-700. Em jets have to come here. No other way around it. If we fail as this, people like you and I would make more money driving a bus for LA county.

slowplay

It's definitely a two way street.

We can tell management to pound sand until Section 6 on a retirement incentive plan. Those 747/767 displacements then will trickle down, reducing income for a whole bunch of our members throughout the seniority list. Or management can get the savings of not having to displace as many people while maintaining some operational flexibility, and pilot pay can stay higher with fewer training events.


Scope leverage. What is it? How does 76 seat scope change benefit management? They've already got payrates on our books for EMB's and CRJ's. None here...

slowplay

Thanks, and back at you! There is no place that I'd rather be right now. We've got more upside potential and downside protection than any other major right now. It's a nice place to be.

I'll try to "type" a little nicer. Your written tone is refreshing.

Superpilot92

we need a MEC that will say shove it to anyone who mentions scope relief. Instant industry improvement would follow.

acl65pilot

Do not forget that the CPS flow is a huge financial disincentive for them to furlough short term. They know it and we know they know it so use it to get something with the PERP deal. Makes sense to me. (At least try)

Tomcat

ACL thank for your input as always. I'm not trying to be divisive, but really believe that a constructive discussion is in all of our best interest. The implication of the 90-130 seat market have far reaching implications for the Delta pilot. These will be the replacement for many of our M88's. This will be my first Captain seat at Delta, which I could hold now, but waiting for a little more seniority.

I would be happy to fly any of the aircraft we are discussing as a Captain.

slowplay

So is flow a good or bad thing for mainline pilots? Your posts seem to argue both sides btw, there's a limited flow with Mesaba as well.

acl65pilot

There are benefits for unity, but there is a real financial downside that I fear many are not looking at.

It is great for the regional guys and great for a flow back, but as we start to retire people in the next three years and basically do not stop until about 2033 or so, the likeliness of a flow back gets less and less and the flow forward will be so immense that the DCI labor costs will in effect be very low. (pilots, not support staff like ramp etc as they are now part of a combined group and or DAL employees in ATL)

I know the union is aware of the benefit of keeping DCI costs low, but there is a negative to that too. It is in the form of motivation to increase the outsourcing to the lowest cost operator. Currently we have the ability to move flying back to mainline. (read previous post)
The CPS flow is good because it gives us all of the seats to date. It is also a huge barrier to furlough. Doing it DCI wide is another story. As with scope, we would need to realize to do so in a one or two dimensional agreement leaves the door open for a renewed push for outsourcing. It needs to be recognized that a flow like CPS has major rewards for the company. Those rewards need to be used as leverage for us to gain the money the senior guys want and the scope limits the junior guy wants.
Our Chair thinks he has the leverage to do this, I know why. It is a huge cost saver for DAL and the DCI unit of this company. Lets use it to our advantage. There is leverage in the economics.