georgetg

And since Slowplay is talking about stuff like Production Balance, one more time:

Pilot Cost of Production:

DAL pilots produced 94 ASMs
SWA pilots produced 70 ASMs

Per Dollar spent on pilot compensation

Delta pilots are 30% more productive (cheaper) in generating Seatmiles than Southwest pilots per every Dollar spent on pilot compensation.
Keep that in mind when filling out our Survey...

Cheers
George

Bucking Bar

For the day, thus far, the bear fund is down 5% which is worse than the losses taken yesterday on long positions. I'm thinking sell into strength this fall (if your bereft of life mouser bounces)

Frankly, I do not understand the market's herd mentality. If the market were a good determinant of value, we would not see such wild, fast, swings. Smart people should be able to see past the chaff and in this case, I think they are missing the GOOD performance of individual companies. Durable goods, automobiles, inventory reports, all seem to indicate we should have a fourth quarter mini bull, at least as far as the equities I follow.

For retirement funds, why not utilities which pay a descent yield? (DUK has been a favorite) Even if you get clobbered on asset price, the dividend evens things out nicely if you reinvest.

The best investments I've made have been things I can touch and hammer a nail into. Even though my local market is depressed, I've done well, solid 10% return on invested funds to possibly as well as 70% (still got a couple of sold homes not yet closed) this year. The worst I've done is broken even. The only real skills required are to know how to work with people and fix roof leaks (seems every foreclosure has at least two).

Scambo, that's my counter trend bull market rebuttal. But, I'm 50% in cash due to the potential that whatever takes out my investments might also harm Delta enough to result in a furlough.

I've not taken an active enough role managing my retirement and the "professionals" have lost me in excess of $150,000 since going to cash just isn't one of the moves that make them any money.

Until Delta gets is debt down, I'm figuring the airline has a 50/50 chance of flying for as many years as I plan to.

tsquare

That is very interesting. I wonder how many different ways there are to spin pilot costs. I would love to see a comparison of all of those, because I am sure that someone can come up with a metric that says we are 30% MORE expensive than them...

georgetg

T, that's the key those improvements need to be matched with pay increases, otherwise you are spot on.
More work to get more pay isn't a raise....

Cheers
George

tsquare

But the same work to get more money IS. I guess the question is what form the mo money/mo time off compromise needs to take in order to satisfy the most voters. I think that more guys would rather work the same number of days for a big raise rather than fewer days for a moderate raise. But that's JMHO.

Timbo

There are other ways they can 'hide' a pay raise from the "Non-Contract Employees", such as a 6hr. Duty Period Minimum (I would prefer 8) and same for a day of Vacation.

WHY do we only get 3hr.s per day for Vacation when we have a 5:15 DPM anyway??

Also, -everything- flown over 80 is at 1.5x pay, not just Greenslips (which would still be at 2x pay).

Now, for the pay rates themselves? Peg our smallest airframe to SWA + 3%, then go up from there.

And YES, the Whale should pay -quite a bit more- than the 777!

ExAF

All roads to the BCS championship go through the SEC! GEAUX TIGERS!

PS. Not checking in for a couple of days while out flying makes it painful to catch up upon return.

DAL 88 Driver

I agree with that. Working 15 days in a month is not bad. Making 40% less than you should be making and having your career stagnated because thousands of our jobs have been outsourced is VERY bad!

georgetg

when the company talks to investors its all about one thing:

ASM
CASM
RASM

When they talk capacity cuts/expansion it's all about ASMs.

ASM and its related metrics are number that matters because its the cost of production.

Cheers
George

georgetg

That's why we have seniority, you have the option to choose.

That's also why its important to get 150% over a cap.
That way the guys that want more money don't have to work too much more to get more money.

Cheers
George