Originally Posted by sailingfun

The question was asked. The data is available. No spin. You just don't like the numbers. SW runs a very efficient operation that keeps their total pilot costs down even though their hourly rate is high. The total block hour costs are skewed in favor of SW because of the number of 3 and 4 man operations we have at Delta. Comparing like to like our block hour costs are around 650 an hour compared to 698 at SW.
Keep in mind that we have a higher DC plan then SW and we have huge ongoing funding obligations to the NW pilot retirement plan. They all count in total block hour costs.
Delta's pilot block hour costs will however go up quite a bit on 1 Jan. There is a 4 percent raise and a 1 percent increase in the DC. In addition NW pilots will transition to the full DC plan on that date. That ranges from a small to 14 percent increase depending on where the pilot sat on the NW matrix.
SW has a raise scheduled for next Aug if I recall. The correct numbers to use in a comparison will be the costs after both the SW and Delta raises and retirement changes are applied.