Delta and SWA 717's a done deal?

[filejw]

Word from two seperate sources the same day:

1: Senior Sim guy at AAI on jumpseat giving line check: Negotiations going well for the 717s until Airbus stepped in and told delta that what ever deal they work out with Boeing, we will one up it for some 319s. Last longer perform better, etc, etc.

2: JS home to ORF on a delta 320. The FO said he was told the exact same thing. I forget from whom. Wife, union, FA, CP, Starbucks coffee maker, etc, etc

FYI Not Airbus but a group of leasing company's with 12 to 15 year old a/c.

 

[Lear70]

You mean Delta takes over the lease and payments for power by the hour on the engines? We don't own the 717's.

That's not a distinction our CBA makes.

While we don't "own" the aircraft, a sale of the leases directly to Delta would be enough to trigger our Section 1 Scope language; that's already been discussed. Doesn't matter if the 717 leases are paid for by cash or by other assets, including delivery slots that are owned by Delta.

Otherwise, Sec 1 Scope is triggered, and the pilots go with, subject to A/M integration, per the ALPA CBA, which is in full effect for the AirTran pilots and wasn't negated or superseded by the Southwest Seniority Integration Agreement and/or LOA.

The interesting "gotcha" in all this is "sublease", which is a word Gary Kelly has used recently in conjunction with the 717. If Southwest retains ownership of the leases and sub-leases the planes to Delta until the leases expire, the only language in the CBA is that they can't do something with the planes that causes furloughs. If they move each group of 717 pilots to the Southwest partition prior to the planes being sub-leased, and such sub-lease then does not create furloughs, then it appears the Scope language isn't triggered, as we technically never had a "Major Asset Sale".

Then 2017 comes up, they start going back to Boeing, or Delta purchases them for whatever is owed to Boeing or Delta negotiates their own lease terms but, either way, Southwest is out of it at that point, all the pilots are at Southwest, no one is furloughed, etc, etc.

It really depends what management WANTS to do, on both sides of the coin. If Delta and Southwest say so, Delta will get the pilots (and WHICH pilots would be an interesting bid to watch). If they don't, they won't. Either way it's way over the pay grade of just about everyone on this board, regardless of how people feel about it, so might as well not worry about it until it's announced. What will be, will be...

 

[filejw]

You can be pretty sure the a/c will be coming from Boeing Capital and not SWA. A/C returned to Boeing then leased to Delta as happen to Eastern and others.

 

[PCL_128]

You can be pretty sure the a/c will be coming from Boeing Capital and not SWA. A/C returned to Boeing then leased to Delta as happen to Eastern and others.

For the purpose of our scope language that Lear70 was talking about, it doesn't really matter. A multi-step transaction such as a return to the lessor and then going to Delta would still qualify.

 

[waveflyer]

PCL- would you want the choice?

 

[PCL_128]

PCL- would you want the choice?

Of course. Who doesn't like having options? But I don't think any of this is based in reality, anyway. It's just mental masturbation. If the 717s go away, I'm sure it will happen slowly, they'll be replaced by 737s as they go, and everyone will transition to SWA as planned. The idea of a mass transfer of airplanes in a short period of time isn't realistic.

 

[filejw]

For the purpose of our scope language that Lear70 was talking about, it doesn't really matter. A multi-step transaction such as a return to the lessor and then going to Delta would still qualify.

Well I think a maintenance union took something very similar to arbitration and lost. Once SWA no longer has control of the lease a third party can't be forced to do anything.The a/c would be at Boeing for refurbish and reconfiguration then go to DAL. If you knew how hard the powers that be resisted the flow ups from the regional you could understand why they may resist taking pilots.They for sure will not be taking any replacement a/c that would force them to be over in their headcount and have to layoff people already there.

 

[xray678]

They for sure will not be taking any replacement a/c that would force them to be over in their headcount and have to layoff people already there.

We have a winner. If Delta gets the 717, a portion of them would be to replace the remaining DC9s. There is no way Delta would take all the 717 pilots when it would mean they are overstaffed.

 

[airplane wizard]

We have a winner. If Delta gets the 717, a portion of them would be to replace the remaining DC9s. There is no way Delta would take all the 717 pilots when it would mean they are overstaffed.

Doesn't Delta have enough dc-9 pilots already? The type rating is the same, right?

 

[xray678]

Doesn't Delta have enough dc-9 pilots already? The type rating is the same, right?

The point is say Delta brings over all the 717s and a full compliment of 717 pilots. What do they do with the DC9 pilots when they retire the DC9 in favor of the 717?