Originally Posted by
orvil
Bill,
So many conveniently forget that this TA allows 70 more 76 seat Small Jets, unlimited numbers of a 90 seat turbo props, and a carve out for RAH? These are not scope gains. These aircraft will result in stagnation and fragmentation.
We don't even know if the 717's are actually going to show up. That is open to debate. Even if they do show up, they may bring pilots with them. We don't know how many will be allowed to accept the early retirement and when they will leave. We don't know if they will be replaced.
There are just too many unknowns in this TA. We have learned from the past that unknowns don't usually work for our benefit. The Company will take full advantage of every lousy loophole in the agreement.
No, all large turbo props are now grouped in with 70 seat jets, and they are capped at 102 in number, which is what they have now. The 717s are scheduled to come within 3 years, and the additional 76 seaters can only come in chunks along with 717s. Not all at once, only along with 717s. No AirTran pilots will come along, because their own scope limited the transfer to a sub-lease, and that is exactly how it is described. Not a sale, a sub-lease from SWA and Boeing. And ALPA will have to prove in the road shows that the loopholes people think they see are not really there.