Originally Posted by
Pineapple Guy
Bill, you know what? When you're right, you're right. My last response was condescending and for that I apologize, and I have deleted it. So, let me try again...
First, I am not an MEC member and have never stayed in a Ritz Carlton, but I do know a bit about accounting.
You are correct that DAL received $950m in baggage fees last year, but in reality, much of that was a shift from how they price their tickets. For example, they used to charge $300/ticket. Now they charge $280 plus charge another $25 for a bag. So they make a total of $305 rather than $300. All those numbers are made up, but you get the point. The bag fees are not an additional $950m of "gravy".
As for paying down debt, that is a good thing. Reducing our debt has a positive effect on net income, because it reduces our annual interest payment. That means more net income, which translates into a higher profit sharing check for you and me. It also strengthens our company's position with respect to investment banks, making it likely that we can borrow in the future at lower interest rates. That's good too.
Having said that, this all means nothing, if it doesn't translate into higher pay rates for us. I honestly don't care how strong Delta is financially, other than the fact that the stronger they are, the more leverage we will have to extract contract improvements.
So, I say keep paying down debt, and keep charging those bag fees. Our time will come, and it will be next year. I'll be ready.
Complete and utter nonsense. Southwest alone had 11 separate price hikes this year that stuck. Most of the larger US airlines have done the same IN ADDITION to the other fees they have collected.
It is very troubling that you spout out anything and everything (a lot of made up stuff) to lower pilot expectations regarding this next contract (ie "Delta is still just getting by on the skin of their teeth"....."we don't want what SWA has...they work way more and...." insert the excuse of the day for not asking for what SWA has).
The good news....the more you open your mouth the more you rally the troops to dump ALPA and get a union that represents Delta pilots in a bottom up, consistent fashion. Thanks for your help!
PS- has anybody here thought this guy and some of his buddies aren't really ALPA but rather management stooges hired to continuously preach their "the company is broke we cant ask for too much" mantra. It is not uncommon for large corporations to hire such expectation managers these days. Also has anybody noticed just in the last year how many lobbyists Delta has been hiring to do their dirty work in DC (many lobbyist that used to work for the key folks in government governing their personal interests). That said, some would argue whether guys like Pineapple are Delta Management hires or ALPA, they are one and the same.