DCI down to 4 carriers.

[McNugent]

Pinnacle is in a new hub, new airline, and a new plane(although same aircraft type) I remember chautauqua starting off with continental was horrible as well. As Pinnacle Gets used to ATL, the performance will go up and I expect them to be one of the DCI connection airlines left when its all said and done.

Delta will use their sheeetay performance numbers against them and give them the boot like Mesa. Peace out Pinnacle.

 

[DrewBlows]

Pinnacle is in a new hub, new airline, and a new plane(although same aircraft type) I remember chautauqua starting off with continental was horrible as well. As Pinnacle Gets used to ATL, the performance will go up and I expect them to be one of the DCI connection airlines left when its all said and done.

What is there to get used to? ATL is an airport that operates pretty much like every other airport. It's not like if you forget to tell clearance your ramp number the FAA cancels the flight.

 

[suupah]

I think Delta will try to find a way to cut 50 seat aircraft anyway they can. Lawsuits are prolly cheaper than the fuel costs on low yield routes with 50 seaters.

If a DAL/NWA merger happens then i think 9E might have prollems. but who knows. roll a dice.

 

[clarkwgriswald]

I bet they can and will fill them if some positive news about this place comes out. And I mean press statements from Delta and Comair about positive news, not just word of mouth "Come to Comair, we're supposed to get more flying!" type stuff. I'm all for it. The more flying we get, the faster I move up the list.

Comair and Good news do not go together

 

[amcnd]

ASA's contract is only secure as long as we make our 3 and 5 year performance goals which is why there has been the big push for performance recently. Other than that ASA and SKYW have long-term contracts secured in BK court.

But remember SkyWest Inc. controls the gates!!

 

[SBD]

Comair and Good news do not go together

I can't remember the last time I heard good news here. Wait, we got Honey Baked Ham certificates for the holidays. Joy amongst all employees that day.

 

[samballs]

I can't remember the last time I heard good news here. Wait, we got Honey Baked Ham certificates for the holidays. Joy amongst all employees that day.

I tried to come up with a smart A$$ comment like "what, you didn't like when we were told.....". But things have been so bad for us I couldn't even do that we even lost are mints.

 

[samballs]

Got one, we got JC out of office. But thats not good news from the company, we the pilots created that miracle.

 

[dojetdriver]

ExpressJet has a short-term contract with DL (I believe it's 2 years). They run a quality airline and have good numbers, but it's pretty common knowledge that DL is only using the LAX RJ operation as a placeholder to keep their gates. Once DL has a mainline plan in place to utilize their gates out there, I would think that ExpressJet might not get renewed. If they did, it would be a fully risk-sharing program like how half of their operation is currently.

I remember hearing that also. The only problem is, some of the destinations and frequencies we have can only really be served by "regional" feed. If that makes any kind of sense.

I would be curious to see what the plans are for the DAL expansion. I don't know if they can send a 73 to SFO, SEA, SJC, OAK, PHX, DEN 3, 4 or 5 times a day. Also, theres not really any room for more wide bodies at the DAL gates in LAX.

 

[wms]

But remember SkyWest Inc. controls the gates!!

DAL has the gates back with the takeover of ATL ops.

 

[79%N1]

Uh, Negative.

 

[B727FA]

As Pinnacle Gets used to ATL

You get used to ATL?

 

[~~~^~~~]

But remember SkyWest Inc. controls the gates!!

Until 2010, little less than a year and a half from now.

 

[~~~^~~~]

I can't remember the last time I heard good news here. Wait, we got Honey Baked Ham certificates for the holidays. Joy amongst all employees that day.

Happy Hanukkah!

 

[IronCityBlue]

Until 2010, little less than a year and a half from now.

Exactly. It would be extremely easy to take the 900's back now, and then wait til 2011 to take the 700's back.

 

[CFI2766]

Exactly. It would be extremely easy to take the 900's back now, and then wait til 2011 to take the 700's back.

What would the pay rates be on these a/c at DAL? Something tells me that DAL wouldn't pay more to fly these a/c than the regionals that they would be sourced from...

 

[RiddleEagle18]

What would the pay rates be on these a/c at DAL? Something tells me that DAL wouldn't pay more to fly these a/c than the regionals that they would be sourced from...

True however you would be working under a contract with better work rules than every single regional out there. Not to mention you would have the ability to move on to larger aircraft.

If mainline decided to take back these a/c for the current pay rates Im sure the career progression would still be RJ FO then RJ Capt. and then small gauge mainline FO.

 

[CFI2766]

True however you would be working under a contract with better work rules than every single regional out there. Not to mention you would have the ability to move on to larger aircraft.

Granted, possibly a better contract. I really don't know, as I barely know my own contract, much less whats at Delta (or NWA, or other). Also, the potential to eventually move on to something bigger and better paying is attractive.
However, I'm just not sold on the idea that I'd probably have to give up significantly on pay, on the exact same equipment, just to be able to wear the double-breasted blazer.

If mainline decided to take back these a/c for the current pay rates Im sure the career progression would still be RJ FO then RJ Capt. and then small gauge mainline FO.

This would be the best possible outcome for the pilot career, but unlikely, I'm afraid. If the mainline folks were to take back each of the regional 'partners', the management of the mainline entities would lose the ability to RFP the lowest possible rates from the small lift providers. Financially, it just doesn't seem to make sense for the mainline 'partners'.

Granted, I'm looking at this from the very bottom of the career, but I still have some reservations. Frankly, I just don't think it all that just for a 20 year ASA guy, who has been flying Delta passengers, on an airplane painted in Delta colors, for Delta connections, to be stapled to the bottom of a Delta list where he/she would over-night become junior to a 6 month Delta new-hire.

For what it's worth, however, I would like to someday fly something built by Boeing or Airbus over large bodies of water.

 

[IronCityBlue]

True however you would be working under a contract with better work rules than every single regional out there. Not to mention you would have the ability to move on to larger aircraft.

If mainline decided to take back these a/c for the current pay rates Im sure the career progression would still be RJ FO then RJ Capt. and then small gauge mainline FO.

Exactly. DAL actually has pay scales for the 900. They are actually not bad compared to any RJ operator. Those rates may have to be brought down to par to get the jobs back, but its better than 2000 furloughs while flight academies pump out 23 year olds to the regionals for 2 year upgrades on those same planes while your own pilots take a 100% pay cut for years. Time to take the flying back.

 

[altimaklr]

I doubt Pinnacle will be gone... Delta wants more 900's and fewer 200's. Pinnacle is all 900 and the contract has a minimum service level agreement until 2017. Pinnacle opened a new hub, new equipment, new weather/dispatch system just for ATL... so it's no surprise things are taking a while to get going.