Any "Latest & Greatest" about Delta?
06-27-2009, 06:12 PM
#9141
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Oct 2006
Position: Dismayed
Posts: 1,598
After logging in there was a message talking about the "upgrading" of the extranet and that it might be unavailable all weekend.
06-28-2009, 04:25 AM
#9142
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Apr 2007
Position: Flying the SEC
Posts: 2,350
DAL might be reconsidering their take om the 73N and the 320. Fact is that Boeing and Airbus has both said that it will be at least 2022 before they see a replacement jet. What that means is that we will have plenty of time to have newer jets fly 15 to 20 years before they would be phased out. It makes more sense after this fact was stated that we may actually put more of these in the fleet. The MD-90 is a good five to 10 year replacement, but that is it. With this 73N replacement date getting moved four year from six months ago, it would behoove an airline to find a replacement today instead of trying to limp our way to 2022. And that is if we were the launch customer.
Another point is that our credit rating directly correlates to what interest anyone not just Boeing would charge. That is why we saw no new order this last year. Everyone wanted interest rates that just did not make sense.
You are correct though, if a airline went out of business, there would be a lot of jets on the market. Fact is that many of them would be bought up quickly and flying the routes they were under the other old carrier. It still would not change the fact that any airline here in the US still would need to renew their fleets. The jets of today are getting old.
For example, our 88/90, 9's, 757/767, 744 and some 320's are going to be in need of replacing in the next 10 to 20 years. Only the 767-300ER has the ability of that pack to be here 25 more years. Many of the first NWA 320's are getting close to needed major overhauls as well. What that means is that we are going to need to drop a very large amount of cash on the table here and soon. The aircraft manufacturers know that too.
I am with you in wishing No ill will toward another pilot group. We were there a few short years ago and could be there in another year or two as well. As they say, We are the best of the worst. If nothing gives this industry will yet again be on their knees in another year.
Lawmakers love Low Cost. They really have no love for us "High Cost" carriers.
Another point is that our credit rating directly correlates to what interest anyone not just Boeing would charge. That is why we saw no new order this last year. Everyone wanted interest rates that just did not make sense.
You are correct though, if a airline went out of business, there would be a lot of jets on the market. Fact is that many of them would be bought up quickly and flying the routes they were under the other old carrier. It still would not change the fact that any airline here in the US still would need to renew their fleets. The jets of today are getting old.
For example, our 88/90, 9's, 757/767, 744 and some 320's are going to be in need of replacing in the next 10 to 20 years. Only the 767-300ER has the ability of that pack to be here 25 more years. Many of the first NWA 320's are getting close to needed major overhauls as well. What that means is that we are going to need to drop a very large amount of cash on the table here and soon. The aircraft manufacturers know that too.
I am with you in wishing No ill will toward another pilot group. We were there a few short years ago and could be there in another year or two as well. As they say, We are the best of the worst. If nothing gives this industry will yet again be on their knees in another year.
Lawmakers love Low Cost. They really have no love for us "High Cost" carriers.
06-28-2009, 04:59 AM
#9143
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Mar 2008
Posts: 2,919
The above the reason why the upcoming scope battle is the fight for our lives. Everyone has a stake in this, not just the 88/9/9/73/320 folks. What Delta decides to replace these jets with and who flies them directly determines whether we have 12,000 pilots in DALPA or 6000. Keep the cap on the Scope bottle!
I know that sounds like a stupid question, but I wonder how high hard management will try and push to break up the 12,000 pilot strong pilot group.
Judging at their current attempt to consolidate our regional subsidiaries, I wonder if they realize that keeping the majority of flying under mainline improves the overall product?
(Note: this is not a knock against regional pilots in anyway, it is merely a correlation of how horrible regional carriers are managed, treated, and under-compensated)
Again, I know this seems like a stupid question since management has always seemed to be interested in the bottom line, but it appears that Anderson seems to be interested in improving the overall "Delta Product" and, personally, I think symmetry in the day to day operation would be the most important thing.
06-28-2009, 05:19 AM
#9145
No longer cares
Joined APC: Mar 2008
Position: 767er Captain
Posts: 12,109
If it will reduce "costs"... absolutely. They have already tried to blur the line between the mainline DAL product and the DCI product; in essence they want John Q to think when they get on the regional du jour.. they are on Delta. And don't kid yourself... labor is on the liability side of the balance sheet (well, at MOST companies anyway) and that is the low hanging fruit of harvard management 101. 12,000 pilots... (and all the inherent costs) or farm it all out (zero costs)... which do you think THEY would prefer? I'll betcha right now they are working on a way to shed the health care costs (in 2012)that we bring... THAT is the next big "crisis" that management will face in dealing with the liability side of the sheet.
06-28-2009, 09:50 AM
#9146
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Apr 2007
Position: Flying the SEC
Posts: 2,350
Well, BHO is going to take care of that. Business can't wait to dump their health care benefits on the government.
The battle with the Wharton wizards is over brand control. By subcontracting your product you loose control of your brand. That should be our economic argument to recapture the subcontracted hours. It remains to be seen if this is more important to the 4th floor than the fragmentation of the pilot group. I think an offer of 25% and an increase in the DC will cause 51% of our brethren to sell 100 seat scope.
The battle with the Wharton wizards is over brand control. By subcontracting your product you loose control of your brand. That should be our economic argument to recapture the subcontracted hours. It remains to be seen if this is more important to the 4th floor than the fragmentation of the pilot group. I think an offer of 25% and an increase in the DC will cause 51% of our brethren to sell 100 seat scope.
06-28-2009, 11:39 AM
#9147
Can't abide NAI
Joined APC: Jun 2007
Position: Douglas Aerospace post production Flight Test & Work Around Engineering bulletin dissembler
Posts: 12,037
Why do you pick on Wharton? I think the guys you have a complaint with all came from Harvard.
In the interest of equal time and trying to amuse our many web board participants from the Republic of Texas, here's the joke of the day:
Texan: "Where are you from?"
Harvard graduate: "I come from a place where we do not end our sentences with prepositions."
Texan: "OK, where are you from, jackass?"
In the interest of equal time and trying to amuse our many web board participants from the Republic of Texas, here's the joke of the day:
Texan: "Where are you from?"
Harvard graduate: "I come from a place where we do not end our sentences with prepositions."
Texan: "OK, where are you from, jackass?"
06-28-2009, 11:44 AM
#9148
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Feb 2008
Posts: 2,324
This is a little off topic....
I am moving/being based in Memphis, what are the good areas to live in? I heard Germantown, what else...
I am moving/being based in Memphis, what are the good areas to live in? I heard Germantown, what else...
06-28-2009, 11:57 AM
#9149
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jan 2007
Position: west coast wannabe
Posts: 815
Lived just south of the border for a little while in MS. There're several nice small cities (horn lake, southaven) that has nice restaurants, new hospital, similar to the lifestyle in Germantown. Traffic on I-55 up to MEM usually isn't bad, about 20-25 minutes.
Hope it helped.
Hope it helped.
06-28-2009, 12:53 PM
#9150
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Apr 2007
Position: Flying the SEC
Posts: 2,350
Break:
Bar I wasn't picking on Wharton grads, just using an alliteration. I guess I could have said Harvard *****s or honeys or hooligans.
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