Delta Memo looking at planning for new narrowbody aircraft for MAINLINE

[Erlanger]

Before anyone gets their panties all up in a wad, this says nothing about Delta getting new planes for domestic ops. It just says Delta is asking for proposals. What proposals Delta gets in the end may not be feasible for them to operate anyway. If I were a mainline guy I'd be worried that Delta will present this info to the pilots to show that mainline can't economically operate these planes so they want more scope relief for the regionals. The retirement of the 50 seaters is old news anyway so everyone relax.

 

[johnpeace]

It's funny how eager everyone is to believe what they want to be true.

 

[LearLove]

If I were a mainline guy I'd be worried that Delta will present this info to the pilots to show that mainline can't economically operate these planes so they want more scope relief for the regionals. The retirement of the 50 seaters is old news anyway so everyone relax.

Not only wrt Delta guys but all mainline pilots: they (management) can "present" all they want, but unless it is going to be flown by mainline pilot then they can go pound sand.

Lets just say management is right and we (any major) will go under if we don't cave on scope. Then so be it. Either way I (the junior mainline pilot) is going to lose his/her job either by the whole company going under or be furloughed when 100+ seat flying is contracted out. I'd rather go down fighting at this point.

 

[General Lee]

Omg! A company memo said that!? It MUST be true.

Ummm, ok, what? So, John, you think it is NOT true? This looks like a company memo outlining to employees what Delta wants to do in the future. Delta does have some older planes, and that has to be addressed. It goes against what YOU THOUGHT would happen though, stating mainline pilots would sell out and you and the ASA'ers would fly most of the domestic stuff. That......doesn't....look..... correct....now does it? Maybe a lot of what you think is off base? Maybe you are hoping for something else, but now it doesn't seem to be going in that direction? Help me here John..... A company memo is definitely more precise than an article on yahoo. Sounds like Delta is putting out the smoke signals for Boeing and Airbus to fight it out for a big DOMESTIC order, and DL already has both types, so this could get good. But, you can just close your eyes and pretend it's not real, John.


Bye Bye---General Lee

 

[Yuppyguppy]

Park the inefficient rjs...i love it!

 

[General Lee]

Before anyone gets their panties all up in a wad, this says nothing about Delta getting new planes for domestic ops. It just says Delta is asking for proposals. What proposals Delta gets in the end may not be feasible for them to operate anyway. If I were a mainline guy I'd be worried that Delta will present this info to the pilots to show that mainline can't economically operate these planes so they want more scope relief for the regionals. The retirement of the 50 seaters is old news anyway so everyone relax.

Again, ummmm, what? A lot of the DL fleet is getting old. DL just got 36 MD90s as a stop gap, and those will be a bandaid until newer planes are available. Why is this hard to believe? I guess new CR9s and 777LRs are the only new planes out there for Delta? If you re-read the memo, it states Delta is interested in 100 to 200 new planes, with an additional 200 options. They could be the A320 family (A319s up to A321s), or maybe additional Boeings if they could bring up more efficient engines for the 737s. And, if they make a big order, they will probably work out some discounts, which would blow that theory away for you. They will make it economically feasable, or they won't get the full 200 plus 200 more options. Another thing that will help them is that our pilot group will be getting a lot younger as 2000 or so super senior (and highest paid) pilots start to retire over the next few years. They will be hiring like mad, and those new pilots will be on first year scale, which will be initially cheaper for them per hour. (it's called being a newhire) Add to that our eventual new pay raises (SWA 737 rates for our 737s, then up from there), and Delta will know what their fixed costs will be. Add the bag fees and all the other charges, and it will be covered. Heck, they made $1.2 billion this last year in fees alone. But hey, if you don't want it all to happen, then I suggest you say it loud and proud as you walk through the ATL terminals. Go for it.


Bye Bye--General Lee

 

[General Lee]

I didn't say they can't afford it, but when one pilot makes 1/2 what the other ones does, and the planes are nearly the same size, things start to add up.

-Factor in how much DAL mechanics, dispatchers, FAs, and so forth and so on make, and pretty sure you will find that wasting a whole lot of those people to support regional feed is not very smart. (For some of those guys, the pay difference is far greater than it is between pilots.)

It's cheaper because Regionals are scared. They don't know what to do with the 50 seaters, and they have started "at risk" flying to try to find routes that could make anything over the long run. But, as the memo states, so far they have parked OVER 70 RJs. It's like they are bragging, maybe it is cool to say that now? Businessmen like that.

You also have to remember that Delta just won A LOT when none of the other groups went union. All of them voted it down. That saves DL big bucks. That means they can spend a little more on us coming up here, and some more on planes.

And, you have no idea what could happen with scope coming up here. The CAL/UAL deal is huge, and I can assure you that we believe the same. We would like more of the 76 seaters on our certificate, and those payscales have already been negotiated. Add a few more % points to the pay in the next contract, and I think it possibly could be done. Then, when your contracts expire, we could find some of your cheap, used planes on the market, and hire some of you back maybe. It's whatever is negotiated.

BTW, it's awesome that you think it is cool that you guys are so cheap. FANTASTIC!


Bye Bye--General Lee

 

[ACL65PILOT]

The memo was put out. Why?

Simple.

Negotiating in public. One or more of the aircraft manufactures are not offering deals DAL thinks they should get.

 

[KarmaPolice]

This memo basically sums up an answer to a question asked to a manager in Indoc this year. The question was, "Why isn't Delta purchasing 737's and busses to replace it's aging domestic fleet?"

They think that by holding out, using cheap MD90s in the meantime, they can get ahold of a newer more fuel efficient airplane that will give them a "next step" advantage over what is out there already.

 

[ePilot22]

Shoot! Wish I could get a mainline job...



eP.