Delta Posts 2nd Qtr Results, Ends Qtr with $5.4 Billion Liquidity

[PuffDriver]

You are right. Dig and you'll be able to confirm they are still running off the economic analysis performed for bankruptcy concessions.

A LOT has CHANGED since then and we need new numbers. I don't know why there is such resistance to updating our analysis. Seems like it would be required to prepare for C2012 in any event. Any idea why they are so dead set against even considering scope restoration?

If taken in baby steps, the business case for Compass and the E170's is pretty easy. Due to representational issues the case for the CRJ derivatives is more complicated, but any time a 90 to 100 passenger jet leaves the gate with 14 to 24 fewer passengers than it could carry, that is a loss of revenue. Revenue that could pay a "Delta" crew.

To take the contrary view, US Air apparently does not like their E190's. Maybe they are just trying to negotiate down lease rates they don't want to pay in today's age of, "eh' lets just not pay our bills."

Can't disagree with anything there, except they are adamant that the numbers ARE current. I tend to believe them. Just look at an 11% DC for everyone on the Delta property. That alone probably pushes mainline over the top on the jet. The others are probably getting close, especially with the longevity that today's regional pilot brings to the table. As you have seen, that apparently is coming under fire from management with the almost daily shuffling of flying from the expensive providers to the more inexpensive.

My intent, at least one of them, is to bring some fresh perspective to the fight, and indeed take a long hard look at reigning in some of that 70+ flying at or before C2012. I'd rather see how the 50 seat flying shakes out from management's side before we address that, and of course the rest of the contract needs improvement as well. I definitely cannot envision a scenario where I could vote to relax scope even further--save 1,000,000 signing bonuses per capita . Maybe then I could be talked into additional 76 seaters.

 

[~~~^~~~]

I definitely cannot envision a scenario where I could vote to relax scope even further--save 1,000,000 signing bonuses per capita . Maybe then I could be talked into additional 76 seaters.

Crap, you had my vote until that.

Reminds me of a joke:

Old man to beautiful blonde - would you sleep with me for a million bucks?
Blonde - You're cute, kind alike Hugh Hefner
Old man - Well, would you sleep with me for 10 bucks?
Blonde (now mad) - What do you think I am?
Old Man - what you are has been established. Now we are just negotiating the price.

IMHO - one pilot's scope and job security should not be sold to benefit another pilot - period. It isn't fair and it is corrosive to the foundation of our union. Unity is a great platform for a political run. It is the most powerful force in unionism.

 

[FDJ2]

Lawson had legitimate concerns. .

You're kidding right? Lawson had legitimate concerns with regards to hiring furloughed pilots?

GMAB. Lawson and the scumbags at the RJDC attempted to use furloughed ALPA pilots as hostages. All his bogus arguments about how the hiring of furloughed Delta pilots would be harmful to CMR was nothing more than a pretext. The RJDC scumbags and Lawson's real motivation was always to eliminate scope at the majors so that they could underbid the flying on larger aircraft. They are complete DBs.

 

[~~~^~~~]

FDJ2:

No that is not what I, or he, wrote. He proposed several options. The first one, the one you mentioned, was in very poor taste. He should have welcomed the Delta pilots like we did at ASA.

But the fact that "the bell tolls" for Comair is exactly why he was trying to protect his pilots via "brand scope" or merger with Delta.

Both sides would have better served their pilots had they put the pilots' needs ahead of their personal arrogance.

 

[PuffDriver]

Crap, you had my vote until that.

Reminds me of a joke:

Old man to beautiful blonde - would you sleep with me for a million bucks?
Blonde - You're cute, kind alike Hugh Hefner
Old man - Well, would you sleep with me for 10 bucks?
Blonde (now mad) - What do you think I am?
Old Man - what you are has been established. Now we are just negotiating the price.

IMHO - one pilot's scope and job security should not be sold to benefit another pilot - period. It isn't fair and it is corrosive to the foundation of our union. Unity is a great platform for a political run. It is the most powerful force in unionism.

The shortest political career ever . I have got to be more blatant with my TIC.

 

[Noserider76]

FDJ2:

But the fact that "the bell tolls" for Comair is exactly why he was trying to protect his pilots via "brand scope" or merger with Delta.

Unfortunately for Comair there are a couple other factors involved in their downward spiral. Comair is tied to CVG which has lost a ton of flying over the last several years. Most importantly, IMO, their strike hardened the company against them and seemed to be the driving factor in DL hiring every RJ operator in the country to do DL flying. Was the company going to allow brand scope after that and create an even stronger entity capable of shutting down DL flying?

 

[PuffDriver]

Unfortunately for Comair there are a couple other factors involved in their downward spiral. Comair is tied to CVG which has lost a ton of flying over the last several years. Most importantly, IMO, their strike hardened the company against them and seemed to be the driving factor in DL hiring every RJ operator in the country to do DL flying. Was the company going to allow brand scope after that and create an even stronger entity capable of shutting down DL flying?

...plus, they are more expensive from a longevity standpoint than your mesabas and pinnacles. Plus they are "at will" life providers. Delta is locked into certain amounts of flying with Skywest, Republic and Mesa. ACL used a good descriptor for them. They are an accumulator in the Delta system right now.

 

[ACL65PILOT]

There are other "accumulators" too. All of the WO will gain and have flying pulled so DAL can keep the min limits at the other DCI carriers.

I do not see any "New" flying being awarded to non WO DCI carriers for very very long time.

 

[flyboyike]

Unity need not cost the more senior pilots anything.

Would somebody please tell them that? Pleeeaase?

 

[N2264J]

He should have welcomed the Delta pilots like we did at ASA.

Actually, he did:

We are sensitive to the regrettable plight of all furloughed pilots in our industry.
We encourage our management to hire pilots who seek a future at Comair.
We have formally approached Comair management and our management has agreed to preferential hiring of furloughed ALPA pilots.

Personally, I have flown with furloughed United and US Airways pilots who didn't seem to have a hard-on about being at Comair. My understanding is that CMR hired several Delta furloughees. At this point, it's unclear if Delta has hired any Comair furloughees.

 

[FDJ2]

Actually, he did:

Nice half truth, but then again that's always been the MO of the RJDC.


And now for the rest of the story.

"We agree with our company's policy that requires prospective Comair pilots to resign their seniority at their previous carrier.

We believe our Company's industry-standard policy requiring seniority resignation is sound and wise. It promotes the general health and welfare of all Comair employees and serves to protect the future of our company.

At our meeting in CVG, Captain Buergey offered preferential hiring to Comair pilots if the Comair MEC would recommend to Comair management that they hire furloughed Delta pilots and allow them to retain their Delta seniority.

Your MEC responded that hiring any pilots at Comair who do not resign their seniority at their previous carrier gives rise to numerous substantive concerns. The Delta MEC's offer of (future) preferential hiring at Delta is not sufficiently substantive to overcome those concerns and solicit Comair pilots' support. We suggested three alternative concepts, any one or all of which might lead to a mutually beneficial solution:

Relax the Delta PWA, Section 1, seat restrictions imposed upon Comair and ASA that limit our growth in 70-seat and larger airframes.

Negotiate Delta Brand Scope language with Delta management that defines all Delta flying within the Delta revenue stream to be performed solely by Delta, Comair, and ASA pilots.

Negotiate a plan for future integration of our Delta, Comair, and ASA pilots seniority lists that fairly recognizes the efforts and contributions of all."

Using furloughed pilots as hostages to get another MEC to relax scope, disgusting

 

[PeanuckleCRJ]

Actually, he did:



Personally, I have flown with furloughed United and US Airways pilots who didn't seem to have a hard-on about being at Comair. My understanding is that CMR hired several Delta furloughees. At this point, it's unclear if Delta has hired any Comair furloughees.

Furloughees from Comair likely wouldn't qualify to get hired at DL.... You still seem to be under the idea that getting hired at Comair is the same effort as getting hired at DL?

I didn't see us hiring any 600 TT this last cycle, did you?

 

[ACL65PILOT]

Most had 10 times that much time. Some 20 times that much .

 

[Benjamin Dover]

Actually, he did:



Personally, I have flown with furloughed United and US Airways pilots who didn't seem to have a hard-on about being at Comair. My understanding is that CMR hired several Delta furloughees. At this point, it's unclear if Delta has hired any Comair furloughees.

Wrong understanding. CMR smugly refused to even interview furloughed Delta pilots post 911. Company guidance came from union. All this while mainline Delta furloughed 1000+ and CMR and ASA grew huge.

Funny how times change. I'm at SWA now and plenty of dudes here pounding their chests hard about scope who would not be here except for the weekass scope at Delta that allowed them to get all that PIC at CMR/ASA so they could get hired at SWA. What a crazy bidness this is ...............

 

[ACL65PILOT]

Crazy blindness that in reality they know about and want changed. Fact is that 90% of the guys that came from ASA would have had the 121 PIC requirement a long time ago with or without the "March of the RJ's."

Many of those guys and gals over there paid there dues and were CA's prior to 9-11. Most not all.