Originally Posted by DAL73n

Bill,

Exactly how do you figure the 717s will help with advancement.

1. The first 21 717s will replace the last 21 DC-9s.
2. The new work rules allow DAL to fly us more and how do you know that they don't reduce International Flying more (Europe is falling apart) and just down bid pilots to fill the rest of the 717s (which won't start until after the first 21 (which by the way allows 17 brand new 76 seaters (type TBD)). So, in Jan 2014 we will finally have "growth" 717s which can be filled by the existing pilot force (theoretically we are over by around 300 pilots - with the early retirement program those retirements will get us back to normal staffing) and with the new work rules we easily have enough pilots to fill the slots of the lowest paying aircraft on property - the 717 - there will not be a growth AE under this contract - my only prediction - so continued stagnation through 2016 (the earliest we would get new pay rates and don't think the company will need another "fleeting opportunity in 2015 - they will force us through a true Section 6 and we will have to live with these work rules and Pay Rates until 2017 - think about it).

This carrot of 717s is a straw man by DAL and DALPA that will not help us with career stagnation. DAL does not have a growth plan - I don't have the exact numbers but I was in training in July 2001 when DAL hired their 10,000th pilot and I believe NWA had (some pNWA guy can help me out) had over 5,000 pilots so we have shrunk from 15,000 pilots to 12,000 pilots in a little over 11 years and with these new work rules there will be no hiring or advancement (don't think the retirement wave is here yet) under this contract.