I think this is what you are referencing...



While we don't "own" the aircraft, a sale of the leases directly to Delta would be enough to trigger our Section 1 Scope language; that's already been discussed. Doesn't matter if the 717 leases are paid for by cash or by other assets, including delivery slots that are owned by Delta.

Otherwise, Sec 1 Scope is triggered, and the pilots go with, subject to A/M integration, per the ALPA CBA, which is in full effect for the AirTran pilots and wasn't negated or superseded by the Southwest Seniority Integration Agreement and/or LOA.

The interesting "gotcha" in all this is "sublease", which is a word Gary Kelly has used recently in conjunction with the 717. If Southwest retains ownership of the leases and sub-leases the planes to Delta until the leases expire, the only language in the CBA is that they can't do something with the planes that causes furloughs. If they move each group of 717 pilots to the Southwest partition prior to the planes being sub-leased, and such sub-lease then does not create furloughs, then it appears the Scope language isn't triggered, as we technically never had a "Major Asset Sale".

Then 2017 comes up, they start going back to Boeing, or Delta purchases them for whatever is owed to Boeing or Delta negotiates their own lease terms but, either way, Southwest is out of it at that point, all the pilots are at Southwest, no one is furloughed, etc, etc.

It really depends what management WANTS to do, on both sides of the coin. If Delta and Southwest say so, Delta will get the pilots (and WHICH pilots would be an interesting bid to watch). If they don't, they won't. Either way it's way over the pay grade of just about everyone on this board, regardless of how people feel about it, so might as well not worry about it until it's announced. What will be, will be...