Any "Latest & Greatest" about Delta?
02-12-2012, 12:16 PM
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Apr 2005
Position: 767ER capt
Posts: 1,190
I'll define a commutable trip as one with a mid-morning or later sign-in and a completion before the last flight of the night out...
There are early morning departures from most (if not all) pilot domiciles. Those trips need to be covered...
I live in base and don't particularly enjoy 0-dark-thirty sign-ins. If my seniority allows me to hold trips with more gentlemanly sign-ins (AKA: commuter friendly) I will bid them if I want to. (I suspect many pilots who live in base will do so as well.)
I'm not out to screw someone, but sign-in time is one of the parameters I evaluate when I look at bidding. I'm not going to bid "crappy" trips so the more junior commuters have an easier commute.
If a commuting pilot don't have the seniority to hold commutable trips, perhaps they should consider bidding a category that allows them that ability.
There are early morning departures from most (if not all) pilot domiciles. Those trips need to be covered...
I live in base and don't particularly enjoy 0-dark-thirty sign-ins. If my seniority allows me to hold trips with more gentlemanly sign-ins (AKA: commuter friendly) I will bid them if I want to. (I suspect many pilots who live in base will do so as well.)
I'm not out to screw someone, but sign-in time is one of the parameters I evaluate when I look at bidding. I'm not going to bid "crappy" trips so the more junior commuters have an easier commute.
If a commuting pilot don't have the seniority to hold commutable trips, perhaps they should consider bidding a category that allows them that ability.
As you said, everyone needs to bid a category that gives them their desired QOL, if possible. With PBS, I wouldn't consider bidding into any category below 50%. In New York on the ER, I wouldn't consider being below the top 40%.
02-12-2012, 12:18 PM
Back on TDY
Joined APC: Apr 2008
Position: 747-400 Captain
Posts: 12,487
02-12-2012, 12:22 PM
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jan 2006
Posts: 762
Question. If you're on SC tomorrow, are you still considered LC for tomorrow?
For example, say that you have the list of pilots 1-10, say #1 - #5 are SC. A trip pops up for 18 hours from now. Does it go to pilot #1 who is on SC, i.e. revoke the SC and give them a trip or pilot #6, the first pilot on LC?
I know a reserve pilot is on long call on any on-call day on which he is not assigned to short call and I know what the ladder says but that's why I ask if you're still on LC.
But sometimes I have SC for the next day but they take it away and assign a trip most of the time with an earlier report but all > 12 hours. Sometimes they keep me on SC and go to the next LC guy. It goes either way and I was just trying to figure if that is schedulers discretion or there was a rule?
Will keep a lookin'.
For example, say that you have the list of pilots 1-10, say #1 - #5 are SC. A trip pops up for 18 hours from now. Does it go to pilot #1 who is on SC, i.e. revoke the SC and give them a trip or pilot #6, the first pilot on LC?
I know a reserve pilot is on long call on any on-call day on which he is not assigned to short call and I know what the ladder says but that's why I ask if you're still on LC.
But sometimes I have SC for the next day but they take it away and assign a trip most of the time with an earlier report but all > 12 hours. Sometimes they keep me on SC and go to the next LC guy. It goes either way and I was just trying to figure if that is schedulers discretion or there was a rule?
Will keep a lookin'.
02-12-2012, 12:35 PM
Moderator
Joined APC: Oct 2006
Position: B757/767
Posts: 13,088
As a far as the entitlement comment goes, I'm going to have to raise the hypocrite flag on you. You want to make our contract better. Well so do I.
Whether you like it or not, there will ALWAYS be commuters. You may find yourself commuting one day. How will you feel then? Are we all supposed to move to base to tailor to the needs of those who live in base? Why should it all be day trips and 3 days? What if I want to be more productive?
My point is this pilot group is huge, and we are supposed to be unified. That means take AND give. Some guys look at trips and assume that the only reason the company builds them that way is for commuters. Truth is there are many reasons CARMEN uses that many pilots don't even know about. Too much assumption by a lot of pilots who think everything is done for commuters. The world doesn't revolve around commuters, & it doesn't revolve around non commuters.
With all the comments from non commuters on the contract survey that absolutely trashed commuters, I'm shocked you actually have the audacity to say I have a sense of entitlement. From the attacks I read, it seems quite the opposite. If you go back and read my post, you'll see I never said I wanted better reserve rules to come at the expense of anyone. I'm actually surprised that you of all people would take the attitude that it must come at someone else's expense. I said the company needs to make it more friendly, or costs will continue to rise IMO.
If we can't become unified to improve the lives of all our pilots, then we can expect to continue with mediocre contracts regardless of who represents us.
02-12-2012, 12:37 PM
veut gagner à la loterie
Joined APC: Apr 2008
Position: Light Chop
Posts: 23,286
I know, that's why I am all for taking people out of the equation. Just let me be one with the computer because at least it's predictable... and will know the rules.
02-12-2012, 12:42 PM
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Feb 2008
Posts: 2,539
As always, Slow's press releases are only part of the truth:
1) How many of those DAL aircraft on order are slated to replace airframes currently on the property?
2) DCI is 100 aircraft smaller....what was the change of gauge of the DCI makeup? How many of the smaller 50 seat RJs, which do not directly replace mainline flying, left the DCI property, in exchange for 70-76 seat airframes arriving, which DO replace mainline flying?
It's great if 200 50 seaters left the DCI property. Whats not so great is when they are replaced by 100 76 seat aircraft that parks 100 aircraft at the mainline.
Nu
1) How many of those DAL aircraft on order are slated to replace airframes currently on the property?
2) DCI is 100 aircraft smaller....what was the change of gauge of the DCI makeup? How many of the smaller 50 seat RJs, which do not directly replace mainline flying, left the DCI property, in exchange for 70-76 seat airframes arriving, which DO replace mainline flying?
It's great if 200 50 seaters left the DCI property. Whats not so great is when they are replaced by 100 76 seat aircraft that parks 100 aircraft at the mainline.
Nu
1. The new aircraft orders are designed to be capacity neutral. Delta retains options on 737-900's, 777's and MD-90's for delivery in 2013 and thereafter.
2. DCI gauge has increased to an average of 58 seats per aircraft. According to Delta's 10-K, DCI capacity and traffic dropped 2% last year. Mainline traffic was flat on a 1% capacity increase. If you look at scheduled system departures from the OAG, DCI peaked in January 2010 at 60.4%. They are down to 57.4% of system departures in March, 2012. If you look at system ASM's (again from OAG) they were at 14.5% of system ASM's in January 2010, and will be at 13.8% of ASM's in March 2012. Your assertion that they are replacing mainline flying doesn't match with the math. DCI as a percentage of Delta flying got smaller.
02-12-2012, 12:47 PM
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Feb 2008
Posts: 2,539
You didn't answer my question...
Any example...doesn't have to be big business or the Federal .gov.
02-12-2012, 12:48 PM
Moderator
Joined APC: Oct 2006
Position: B757/767
Posts: 13,088
Sort of ... .
We need a competitive small jet that we fly.
- Legacy carriers and Southwest have shown remarkable capacity discipline. This has driven prices up. It is a temporary gain to be sure. Nature abhors a vacuum and carriers like Spirit will grow to fill it as quickly as they can. Our action (including AA and United) might even save Virgin America.
- We don't own the RJ's. As capacity has shrunk it has forced Delta's partners into losses. The 50 seaters can not be re-deployed outside a network and remain profitable. They have to come up with a "plan B."
- Plan B is probably going to be high performance turboprops, which are not currently constrained by our scope. Bombardier will gladly resupply the market. The Q-400 has great operating numbers, but allegedly passengers don't like it. It's other problem is it's 737-800 sized footprint which makes it a bit of an elephant at a ramp developed for 50 seat RJ's. (ALPA is aware and I expect turboprop scope to be a part of C2012)
We need a competitive small jet that we fly.
I hear the MX reliability of the Q400 is not good. Have you looked at those numbers.? Just curious as I don't know if it is true.
02-12-2012, 01:34 PM
At home on the maddog!
Joined APC: Mar 2009
Position: ATL MD-88A
Posts: 2,874
Have you looked at the reliability of DCI in general?
Just because it's unreliable or low quality doesn't mean our management won't gravitate to it if they think it saves them a few bucks on the next quarterly report.
02-12-2012, 01:35 PM
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Feb 2008
Posts: 2,539
It's my opinion that we need additional scope language covering aircraft in this class with "nextgen" powerplants.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
