Delta hiring freeze?

[General Lee]

Looks like DAL needs pilots to fly the INTL and to feed the INTL... only the feed will be a CRJ/mainline mix.... what ratio yeilds how many new DAL pilots...

Delta is swapping out CRJ 50 seaters for larger 76 seaters (not adding, but more of a one for one deal). DCI will get more 76 seaters if we at mainline grow. Due to the horrible congestion problems at JFK, adding larger RJs (76 seaters) adds seats and allows for more feed without adding more RJs. There comes a point, though, where we need to add mainline planes with a lot more seats (an MD90 has 156 seats vs 76 seats on a CR9) if the routes get consistantly full, especially since a CR9 and an MD90 both require a gate. That is why we are getting some MD90s and there are a lot more out there available. Anderson is still being conservative (only getting 9 MD90s initially) until things look a little better for the domestic side. The 7 737-700s we start getting next July will do a mix of domestic flying along with mostly INTL flying--to islands and Central America stuff.

A lot of newhires are going to the INTL 767 at JFK initally, but they are allowed to bid the domestic side (at a base other than JFK) right away if they choose. As we get the MD90s and 737-700s, expect more newhires to get assigned those if current pilots do not bid them on future bids.

The big deal coming up here for us is the arrival of 777LRs. We have 8 confirmed orders (4 in 08, 4 in 09), but rumors circulate that we will have 25 total in the next 3-5 years. That is a lot of movement. Our first two will come in March, and start ATL---Shanghai service (John Pennekamp--I forgot that new route too---sorry), which will be daily service. That will be 14 hours each way, and will require 2 Captains and 2 FOs on each flight. (there is a nice crew rest facility above first class) If we get 20-25 LRs, which will do the Long Range stuff (like ATL--Johanesburg nonstop supposedly), that will require a heck of a lot more pilots. And, everyone moving up to that plane allows others to move up to other planes. No doubt there will be a lot of 76 seaters out there because of our growth, but even one of those cannot replace the revenue brought in by a 156 seat MD88 or 90 with lease rates of only $80,000 a month, the same or less than a new CR9.


Bye Bye--General Lee

 

[Rez O. Lewshun]

Sounds like you might need ome B787s General...

 

[John Pennekamp]

How are you doing John?

Bye Bye--General Lee

Great! I'm enjoying flying one hour legs to cities that end in beach and spending lots of time at home. Enjoy those 6000 mile legs ya big stud!

 

[belchfire]

I'm surprised that anyone would go to a Major (well, since Major has been redefined to a $ revenue amount I guess I really mean "Legacy" for you youngsters) airline with no defined benifit retirement plan...but there are a lot of stupid people out there lowering the bar. Hell, I've been one!

 

[PeanuckleCRJ]

Hiring is continuing like crazy... 24 just started on monday (all assigned 767ER out of NYC).

Two classes of 35 each a month starting in January-- meaning hiring is increasing and not decreasing.

There is no decrease in mainline ships- they are simply transferring 10 aircraft from the domestic fleet to the international fleet. 35 RJ's are being cut, though.

Those of you attempting to gloat over a freeze: remember more mainline jobs= better career progression for everyone.

 

[General Lee]

Great! I'm enjoying flying one hour legs to cities that end in beach and spending lots of time at home. Enjoy those 6000 mile legs ya big stud!

Do Valdosta and Flint have beaches? That's what he said.... Our longest leg on the 767ER is 5200 miles to Lagos, but I am way too senior for that. I will have fun in Rio this week, no doubt. Next week, Vienna, and Copenhagen after that. Trips like those are really fun, and most are 3 days worth 22 hours or more. 17 days off for me this month, including the holidays. What are the most days off you can get at ASA as a linehoilder John? Have fun and kick some arse!

Bye Bye--General Lee

 

[General Lee]

I'm surprised that anyone would go to a Major (well, since Major has been redefined to a $ revenue amount I guess I really mean "Legacy" for you youngsters) airline with no defined benifit retirement plan...but there are a lot of stupid people out there lowering the bar. Hell, I've been one!

Well, we all know now that a "pension" is a "promise" that can be broken, in BK. It has happened to most (not all) of the airlines that have gone to BK, and the one that did not lose it lost almost all of their rules and duty rigs. But, we do have a DC plan (Direct Contribution) that gives us (at DL) 11% per month (11% if what we make each month is matched by Delta--9% in the DC plan and 2% in the 401K--both seperate plans) in our own names. That is good because we could take it with us if we decided to leave, or if the company liquidated. United has a 16% DC plan, and that is what we are aiming for next contract in 09. Along with the DC plan we have our own 401K that is funded by us in each paycheck, and as I said before is matched 2% by the company as well.

One more thing, everyone that HAD a pension with Delta will be paid a lump sum in January (next month) and will try to fill the 401K allottment for 2008. ($44,000) I have been here a little more than 10 years and will get $66,000. Some Captains that are still here got $250,000 ( on top of their $400,000 in the claim sale after BK). Also, most retired guys got most of their pensions thanks to the PBGC being made whole by the claim sale too.

Bye Bye--General Lee

 

[scarlet]

yeah did the Intl thing to Japan=15 hours HOW FUN!!! and have you been in those crew quarters???And Intl, waiting on the hotel room for over an hour, time change,money exchange, can't read the menus, no internet, no phone, no way to get home in Emerg.,heaven forbide you have an emerg.

I have been there and to Europe and Asia and long legs=No thank you. Look up on internet about graveyard shift=early death, was just on internet a few weeks ago.

 

[WSurf]

Do Valdosta and Flint have beaches? That's what he said.... Our longest leg on the 767ER is 5200 miles to Lagos, but I am way too senior for that. I will have fun in Rio this week, no doubt. Next week, Vienna, and Copenhagen after that. Trips like those are really fun, and most are 3 days worth 22 hours or more. 17 days off for me this month, including the holidays. What are the most days off you can get at ASA as a linehoilder John? Have fun and kick some arse!

Bye Bye--General Lee

General you only have a wife with no kids. You will see soon son that a overnight is a overnight is a overnight. Who the hell wants to fly to the middle east anyway?

Wait until you have a family. You will never ever wanna fly to those cities and be thousands of miles away from your loved ones. I love the fact that I have a couple of overnights that I can rent a car and drive 1hr to my house and spend my overnight home with my wife and kid.

All those cities sound cool as hell, but once you have a family being away from home sucks and all overnights are the same.

Your whole outlook and the crap you type will all change once you have a kids.

 

[John Pennekamp]

Do Valdosta and Flint have beaches? That's what he said.... Our longest leg on the 767ER is 5200 miles to Lagos, but I am way too senior for that. I will have fun in Rio this week, no doubt. Next week, Vienna, and Copenhagen after that. Trips like those are really fun, and most are 3 days worth 22 hours or more. 17 days off for me this month, including the holidays. What are the most days off you can get at ASA as a linehoilder John? Have fun and kick some arse!

Bye Bye--General Lee

Well, you must forget I'm on the ATR. Love Hilton Head, and Myrtle Beach is pretty good too. Next up is Panama City. No Flint for me. Days off? I've seen lines go up to 18 days off on the jet. I usually get 12-16.

But have fun eating goat and avoiding dysentery in the armpit of the world. I'm sooooooo jealous. Carry on, General.

 

[John Pennekamp]

General you only have a wife with no kids.

HOT wife. He has a HOT wife. Just ask him. Get it right, damnit!!!

 

[John Pennekamp]

yeah did the Intl thing to Japan=15 hours HOW FUN!!! and have you been in those crew quarters???And Intl, waiting on the hotel room for over an hour, time change,money exchange, can't read the menus, no internet, no phone, no way to get home in Emerg.,heaven forbide you have an emerg.

I have been there and to Europe and Asia and long legs=No thank you. Look up on internet about graveyard shift=early death, was just on internet a few weeks ago.

I bet that 777 bunk smells like the sleeper in an 18 wheeler rig.

 

[CA1900]

General you only have a wife with no kids....Wait until you have a family.

A husband and wife certainly is a family. Not everyone in this world wants kids, and it's not the inevitability you make it seem.

Glad it works for you, but it isn't for everyone.

All those cities sound cool as hell, but once you have a family being away from home sucks and all overnights are the same.

I think you may have gotten yourself into the wrong business...

 

[WSurf]

I think you may have gotten yourself into the wrong business...

No, I love the flying part of the job. Since you don't have any kids you also don't know how it changes things. It just makes it tuff being gone 3 days or more away from home.

Hence at that point who cares where you overnight? Away from home is away from home.

 

[WSurf]

Not everyone in this world wants kids, and it's not the inevitability you make it seem.

Glad it works for you, but it isn't for everyone.

GL wants kids one day. So I will give him the heads up on how these great trips won't sound so great once he does have children.

Once you have children the best part of a trip is coming home and watching your child run full speed to the door to great you.