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Old 10-26-2011 | 07:45 AM
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georgetg
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From: Boeing Hearing and Ergonomics Lab Rat, Night Shift
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Originally Posted by Columbia
And why is Sailingfun adamant that Swelbar's info is correct (but not SWAPAs?).
Swellbar's info is, as opposed to his opinion, correct.
The data from the MIT site comes from the BTS. The underlying data comes from the airlines required reporting to the DOT.
But there is one Chart that really matters and that's Cost of Production.
Even our Negotiation Committees breaks out this number on the bottom of the contract charts in the contract history.
It's called:

Pilot CASM

That number is really all that matters to the company and shareholders.
To most pilots what really matters is net pay including all benefits.
All you do is compare ASMs with money spent on pilot compensation. That gets you a number reflecting the true cost of production.
  • 2010 Delta Pilot CASM ¢1.07
  • 2010 WN Pilot CASM ¢1.42
Our contract comparison should have included the same charts as our contract history but it didn't.
Pilot CASM is of course affected by any changes to the two components.
  • When we reduce capacity, Pilot CASM goes up.
  • When we increase capacity Plot CASM goes down
  • When pilots are not producing ASMs Pilot CASM goes up.
  • When more pilots are flying the line Pilot CASM goes down.
Augmented crews, training, on medical, long term disability short any activity that precludes a pilot from producing ASMs increases Pilot CASM because the pilot still gets paid with "pilot money".
Remember the huge training footprint for all the base moves after SOC?
  • 2009 DAL Pilot CASM ¢0.944
  • 2010 DAL Pilot CASM ¢1.07
The Charts about "competitive advantage/disadvantage" and things like that are pure management fodder, but you won't see any of those numbers quoted in an Annual or quarterly report because they simply have no bearing on the operation.
Cost of production is all that matters.
Even with augmented crews and guys on disability, to Delta Air Lines, pilots are 32% cheaper than Southwest pilots and our paychecks reflect that difference.

Cheers
George

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