The reality is this bid still does not have enough pilots to cover the flying for next summer.

1. More 737s to be delivered with increased flying projections for the entire 737 fleet for summer 2012.

2. 787s finally delivered so staffing needed just for those new airplanes.

3. Projected retirements on this bid: 9 (SLIGHTLY LOW!!!)

We are in crisis mode right now with the bodies and flying we are currently doing. The 200 pilots would help for this years flying!!! Now we are going to add planes AND increased 737 flying next year? Do the math, people, we will be understaffed again for summer 2012. It doesn't take a genius to figure this out.

This is the same thing that happened in our January system bid using data from the company's own statements:

1. The system bid last summer recalled all of our furloughed pilots BUT not all of them came back to the property. So we started off short right there since not all came back AND the company didn't take UAL pilots to fill those open slots. Therefore, adjustment needed in the January bid, right?

2. The company stated the number of retirements from the summer 2010 system bid was actually greater than expected. Thererore, adjustment needed in the January bid, right?

3. The company stated the projected block hours for summer 2011 was greater than the summer 2010 system bid had planned. Therefore, adjustment needed in the January bid, right?

Three statements that would indicate the need for the January system bid to increase staffing for 2011. How many system vacancies were actually on the January 2011 system bid? Care to guess anyone????

ZERO

Right there we all knew summer 2011 was going to be brutal and it has lived up to expectations. Negative FO coverage system wide on a rolling basis. Captain reserve coverage is only slightly better. I wouldn't expect 2012 to be any better unless we have some serious changes to our work rules.