Advance entitlement possiblities at Delta

[Linedriver]

Anyone have good intel on a possible AE after the move to single operating certificate at Delta? Trying to get to Memphis on the 9.

 

[Diesel-9]

The first ? is will S.O.C. be done by Jan. 2010. Probably not but soon there after with an A.E. to follow. The -9 base in MEM has shrunk quite a bit. I would guess many live in base but enought don't and will bid out and open up positions. I think that MEM and CVG may be going away down the road. Praying for a DFW base.

 

[Redtailer]

Unless there is a lot of movemtent around the combined system I wouldn't count on getting MEM in the near future. The history of the base is like this. When it first opened it was the junior base, however after a few years a lot of folks either moved there or bid it because of the commute. When the downsizing took place several years ago it kicked a lot of folks out except for the senior guys. Hence, it is now more senior than even MSP.

The other hindering factor is that there are not normally positions made available in MEM. Usually it is only 2-3 positions at a time. Not saying that it won't happen, but there are things you can look for to see if a position will come available. I personally know several guys in MEM that really want ATL. In short if they are able to bid ATL with no problem then there will be several positions in MEM available.

If you live in MEM, then the easiest way in is reserve on the bus. VERY junior. Block bus is extremely senior.

 

[nwaf16dude]

Will be interesting to see how/if that changes with the separate block/reserve positions going away.

 

[FlyinPiker]

Will be interesting to see how/if that changes with the separate block/reserve positions going away.

Very true...there's nothing worse than riding that block/reserve borderline not knowing what your going to get each month.

Actually I take that back. I'm about mid block in my position. Mentally I think I'm senior enough to get some of the things I bid for but every month it depends on what's left...at lest at the bottom you know you have the choice of reserve or a crap schedule (which even a crap schedule doesn't seem to be too bad unless your on the 737 in LA or NY).

 

[nwaf16dude]

What makes the 737 in LA and NY so bad?

 

[FlyinPiker]

What makes the 737 in LA and NY so bad?

Well probably a couple of things, but for starters your dealing with multiple airports at both and they aren't exactly down the road from each other. If you're senior enough you get to pick and choose...otherwise you have to pick your battles.

Last time I looked NY had a lot of trips that ended with red eyes. Not bad if you like that kind of thing, but I noticed it seems to screw up the trip credits and a lot of these guys end up with less days off for less credit than other fleets.

Will have to look at Sept bid packets when they come out here in a few days.

Great Airplane though!

 

[nwaf16dude]

Didn't think about the multiple airports thing...which airports do you have to cover in LA? I know it can take most of a day to get from LAX to ONT.

 

[Sinca3]

Very true...there's nothing worse than riding that block/reserve borderline not knowing what your going to get each month.

Every month prior to bidding Planning puts out an estimated number of lines that will be constructed for the upcoming months bid. It is usually within a couple of numbers of being correct.
So you have a pretty good idea that you are going to be resv or able to hold a line. I know it is the exact system FNWA has/had, but it might be something many of you didn't know about. It has been accurate enough for me to use in the past when on resv hoping for a line.
The trick is bid for the type of line you want, knowing you probably aren't senior enough to hold it. Then bid all the resv. lines you want knowing you will probably ge what you want being senior resv. Then hope for the best, it really isn't a bad system, but everything is relative.

Cheers

 

[~~~^~~~]

Reserves? They have nearly none on the narrow body fleet.

 

[michael707767]

Very true...there's nothing worse than riding that block/reserve borderline not knowing what your going to get each month.

Hey they way I've always looked at it was I can get a line every now and then, or under your system I could be on reserve 100% of the time. Some may prefer your system, but I would at least like the possibility of getting a line sometimes.

There are other advantages too. A guy who is a junior line holder can bid reserve on purpose if he needs a certain day off, or to get a holiday off. Or if it looks like the reserve coverage may be good one month, you can bid reserve to get some more time at home. Or the reverse. If reserve coverage is going to be bad, you can bid reserve and do the rolling thunder thing with reserve greenslips.

 

[avrodriver]

I agree the one list thing is a better deal although I have no idea how the NW system worked. Could block holders still bid reserve when they wanted to?

I'm really looking forward to flying out of the midwest again. I have family all around there so I'm hoping if I get stranded and can't commute home I can hopefully at least find a flight going to FSD, OMA, DSM, or CID and pop in for a visit! =)

Now the winters are going to be another story.

 

[michael707767]

Hey...easy...I'm a southie! =)

I bailed out from under the Northwest Umbrella after my first 2 years at Mesaba...10 years later I never thought I might be flying out of MSP again.

Random industry.

Yep. I never even applied to NW. Took one look at their bases and said no way. Now I may have to fly out of one when the NW guys start to bail and move to ATL.

Very random industry.

 

[lakemead1]

Didn't think about the multiple airports thing...which airports do you have to cover in LA? I know it can take most of a day to get from LAX to ONT.

I'm LAX based and we have to cover SNA and ONT also. I've never done a trip out of ONT but I have done several out of SNA. It's a $34 shuttle ride down there from LAX. Lately the SNA trips have been really uncomutable, they start with the first departure out in the morning (6:45) and end with the last one in at night from SLC which gets in about 10 pm. So if you commute you have to get a hotel on each end of the trip.

 

[Linedriver]

The first ? is will S.O.C. be done by Jan. 2010. Probably not but soon there after with an A.E. to follow. The -9 base in MEM has shrunk quite a bit. I would guess many live in base but enought don't and will bid out and open up positions. I think that MEM and CVG may be going away down the road. Praying for a DFW base.

I have heard SOC will be in the spring sometime - all rumor though.

I too thought CVG and MEM would go away in the future but I had a trip through MEM the other day and Northwest has that place sowed up. MEM will be a ghost town if we pull out.

Do they plan to reduce the 9's further in MEM?