Grinstein says Delta will be ok!

[General Lee]

General, I can see that setting the rate low at first could cause some issues for other companies looking at the E190, but apparently no one was worried when we were being paid only $78/hr in the A320. That got fixed.

Anyone looking at E190 rates should take a look at the pay history at JB before they jump to conclusions about our starting payrate.

As for profitability, profits are very slim, to non-exsistant. Fuel is killing us too. Our hedges are only good for about 20-25% of our total useage. Not good.

So while we may be profitable, for now we are not PROFITABLE like a few years back. If prices rise, or fuel drops then five figure profit sharing bonuses could be seen again. For now take home wages is all there is.

I just met a retired Delto CA that took his lump sum over a year ago, on the 767ER and was still flying on contract. Glad for him, sad for the furloughed guys.

I so understand the 24hour retirement 'thing' but should the guy I met still be flying after a year plus??? I don't know the specifics, but it just seems that his replacement should have made it up through the ranks by now. Don't know.

I'm not mad, just irritated to read over and over again '12 yr E190 rates' and '5 year contracts' and 'cleaning the cabin [or lavs]' etc, etc BLAH, BLAH. Even though these items have been explained and beat to death. Oh well, such are the forums

.

I don't like the PRPs hanging around either. They will go, eventually, and they actually have seniority numbers below the furloughs now. Will a judge keep them around? I don't think so, atleast not for long. They have retired, and most have served their purpose. We need to get training back up and running, and the Fall will allow that since we have scaled back. They are all supposed to be gone by Dec 31st, and recent bids have tried to compensate, although the 200 retirements on Sep 1st did surprise a lot of people. And, overall that program HELPED a lot of people because many of them were 53 or 54 years old---and even if they stayed an extra year, they are leaving 5 years early overall. Look at NW, they don't have that option and hardly any have retired. They will furlough a lot more over there, and we are short. The PRP program facilitated a lot of early retirements. 125 recalls were done this Summer, or are in progress right now, thanks to DALPA. That is better than none. I hope all come back soon.

Bye Bye--General Lee

 

[Dizel8]

"How about raising the fares $5 and giving that to all of your hard working employees? JB often sets the fares themselves. $5 more would help and every other airline would follow suit..... You know I am right bud."

Nope wrong again, jetblue is higher than Song, DAL does not seem to be following!

The perennial killer of fare raises, NWA, is in Ch.11, coincidence?

 

[banger]

"How about raising the fares $5 and giving that to all of your hard working employees? JB often sets the fares themselves. $5 more would help and every other airline would follow suit..... You know I am right bud."

Nope wrong again, jetblue is higher than Song, DAL does not seem to be following!

The perennial killer of fare raises, NWA, is in Ch.11, coincidence?

Exactly! General, is Song in buisness to make a profit? I'm not sure, it appears to be just a weapon to fight off LCC's. Our Management has told us they would love to charge another $5 per ticket but Song will not match. Song seems to be around to undercut the competition. Right now we charge more than Song. I don't set policy but I can bet that if Song matched JB, JB would raise fares where they compete.

 

[Sky Cowboy]

Thanks to DALPA the furlough recalls went from 30 a month as directed by the Arbitrator down to just 10.

Thanks to DALPA, green slipping was allowed with pilots on furlough.

Thanks to DALPA the No Furlough clause was given away (and yes, we won that after a long and grueling fight).

Thanks to DALPA scope was weakened (net result, job loss).

Thanks to DALPA code share was increased (again net result, job loss).

Thanks to DALPA Post Retirement Pilots got to have their cake and eat it too.

Thanks to DALPA Post Retirement Pilots were allowed to drop trips they were so desperately needed for and instead got paid to sit at home and do union work. Working as a "retired" pilot, I am still not clear as to who's interest they were representing while serving the union.

Thanks to DALPA the company was forced to project manning based on 24 hours notice of retirement.

Thanks to DALPA the reserve rules stripped away pilot seniority.

I could go on and on but I need to get back to filing out airline applications and networking with buddies at profitable companies. DALPA will meet this Monday and put the final nail in the coffin of the bottom 25% soley for the benefit of those at the top. It's not personal. It is just the nature of those who are greedy,stupid, fail to understand the basic charter of a union, and lack moral direction.

If you are at or near the bottom General Lee, I suggest you stop wasting time reading this and move on with your career. If you are near the bottom of your category or base, I suggest you run a new budget that includes commuting to a smaller seat that pays less. Might want to read up on the new reserve system as well.

The best you can hope for at this point is that you don't end up swinging gear at your next company for the Delta F/O's that have so much to thank DALPA for.