I’m glad to see this is getting such a resounding reception! It may be an “unrealistic opener,” but I think you guys have every right to be insulted. Personally, I’m insulted that this is being presented by your management as “competitive with Delta,” and other such terms. There are some key differences in what they are proposing, and what Delta has (and lets not forget that DAL is STILL working under a bankruptcy contract. An improved bankruptcy contract, but a bankruptcy contract, notwithstanding.)

Pay: Delta + $1? Well, sorta. On the CA side, it looks like the 77/74 guys get parody, but it degrades from there. The 76 rates are actually a blend of the DAL 76-400 and smaller 76/75 rates, so the 76-400 guys get hosed there. The 75 guys are getting hosed by a few bucks, since DAL 75 drivers are paid the same as 76 drivers. The 73 CA really take a hit, as what UAL management proposes are actually the DAL 319/320 rates, which are about $6 lower than the 73 rates. On the FO side – it goes without saying that new hires are taking it in the shorts. Beyond that, the same discrepancies exist as on the CA side, But there is an even wider gap in the junior ranks. Year 2 and 3 are about $20 lower than DAL 320 drivers, narrowing to $10-15 in years 4-6, where the gap finally closes to about $2.

Scope: There are some important provisions to DAL’s scope that UAL management doesn’t seem to bring up. There are 2 limits on “large RJ’s” (defined as those having more than 50 seats. Funny, UAL doesn’t mention what the lower limit of “large” is. One would assume anything over 50 seats is “large”, but they don’t mention….) First, there is a limit of 255 total airframes over 50 seats. This Is a HARD CAP, and DOES NOT CHANGE with the size of the mainline fleet. Second, the limit on 71+ seat aircraft is 153, and IS tied to the mainline fleet. (increase is 3 RJ’s per 1 mainline, I believe.) However – if they hit the cap of 255 large RJ’s, they can’t add another 76 jet without pulling out one smaller than 71 seats, no matter how big the mainline fleet gets. (And, again DAL is “bankruptcy scope”)

By my count, UAL has 152 “large” RJ’s currently out and flying – so this proposal leaves room for about 100 more (assuming, of course, that “large” means over 50 seats…)