C'mon acl65

[PuffDriver]

I thought you had the inside track to this stuff. Is there truth to the rumor of 2 additional 777s and the md90s in '09. What about the hiring in sept?

Are we actually bucking the trend over here, or are rumors, as usual, just rumors.
:bomb:

 

[ASA_DFW]

That's the rumor on the DALPA board.

 

[ACL65PILOT]

What you hear is good rumor, and soon to be fact, if the current trend here at DAL continues.
FWIW, I have been told the same things that the CPO's finally stated last week. We are planning on hiring in late fall. Looks to be about 150-200 by years end. This could possibly go to 430+ though next year. It really all depends on the SLI. That is key. I still find it hard to believe that we will hire people while this merger is going though.
What I was told is that we need pilots to staff the 777's, 737-700's and possible MD-90's. There is a possibility of upping our delivery rate on the LR's nothing is set in stone, but with the new 300 sim almost on-line they will be able to up the training.
Like I have said in the past, DAL has very big plans for its biggest plane (777-200LR) There have constantly been numbers thrown out there for up wards of 45-50 on property in a few years. The key will be if DAL can get financing for them. I assume that they will, since they are money makers from day one.
I would also expect DAL to make a decision on the narrow body lift in the next 12-24 months. We can no longer just wait for the E versions of the 737, and 320 to come out. It will be 2018 at the earliest for those to arrive. Given that fact, we will probably have to replace the DC-9 and 88 fleet in the next few years. Now if gas falls drastically, we may go with the original plan, but currently we cannot continue to use these aircraft for another 10 years.

Personally, I think that we are currently bucking the trend. The individuals that I have spoken with (multiple times) have still stated planned hiring, continued aircraft deliveries, and moderate international growth. I have shared my fears of down sizing. Their response is that it is always a possibility, but we (DAL) have not seen the passenger loads drop off as expected. Fall is the unknown. If we do see a huge drop off, I am sure that they will reevaluate the plan again. For today, it looks like we will continue to chug along bucking the industry trend.
As crazy as it is the high price of oil is actually helping us. We are hedged fairly well, and high crude prices are only helping that.
So to answer your question, Likely, maybe, and we are planning to hire.

 

[General Lee]

A VERY HIGH UP MEC member let it "slip" that we could be looking at 20 MD90s from Saudia. We haven't even gotten our 1st of 10 737-700s. Those 6 777LRs (long range equals 2 Capts and 2 FOs per flight) are coming, with the 1st on Dec 31st of this year, 2 over the next couple months, and 3 on March 31st alone. I can hope we get those MD90s (?), but I think the others are firm. IF for some reason we do park some MD88s, I would think the new planes would provide some sort of cushion for our pilots....


Bye Bye--General Lee

 

[ACL65PILOT]

Very true general. As they have stated there are over 100 MD-90's world wide. They are with all sorts of outfits as well. It makes getting them harder.
I would expect them to get these if it does not cost them more than a few mil to bring them up to standards. I know we have approved 9, and we are looking in to more.
On the rumor out of the NYC CPO office. Those LR's are looking very good. DAL is willing to take as many production slots as they can. It looks like these two may have just freed up. There is a possibility of more slots opening up later next year as well. Hopefully we can grab a few of those too.
I guess we are starting to see why all of the execs kept saying that there would be more than enough seats to absorb the NWA guys.

 

[Cobraair75drvr]

Alpa natl boards have been very quiet or there has been some problem when I log in. Quick question for the delta boys. Is there any talk of hiring the furloughed nwa pilots as bridge pilots like Nwa did with the republic pilots? It looks like we will be taking any/all the hits as far as rightsizing the combined airline. Would be kinda ironic for a furloughed nwa to get hired at dal and after the merger be senior to someone hired before him at nwa.

Very true general. As they have stated there are over 100 MD-90's world wide. They are with all sorts of outfits as well. It makes getting them harder.
I would expect them to get these if it does not cost them more than a few mil to bring them up to standards. I know we have approved 9, and we are looking in to more.
On the rumor out of the NYC CPO office. Those LR's are looking very good. DAL is willing to take as many production slots as they can. It looks like these two may have just freed up. There is a possibility of more slots opening up later next year as well. Hopefully we can grab a few of those too.
I guess we are starting to see why all of the execs kept saying that there would be more than enough seats to absorb the NWA guys.

 

[~~~^~~~]

But wait... the NWA guys don't need no help. They are getting this:

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e392/christopher_92/dc9winglet.jpg

Credit: Superpilot92's linky....

 

[tblosser]

Alpa natl boards have been very quiet or there has been some problem when I log in. Quick question for the delta boys. Is there any talk of hiring the furloughed nwa pilots as bridge pilots like Nwa did with the republic pilots? It looks like we will be taking any/all the hits as far as rightsizing the combined airline. Would be kinda ironic for a furloughed nwa to get hired at dal and after the merger be senior to someone hired before him at nwa.

I doubt it. They don’t want to make the SLI any more complicated.

 

[Superpilot92]

I doubt it. They don’t want to make the SLI any more complicated.

I agree, i think the NEW DAL has some pretty good plans ahead with the combination of NWA/DAL and they need us to get this done asap so we can start with the efficiencies they have planned. They dont want this to take any longer than needed or to further complicate the matter. Hopefully we hear some good news this week. :beer:

 

[ACL65PILOT]

I would highly doubt it. Way to many issues there.