Originally Posted by
acl65pilot
Bar with the 717 delivery schedule to end about the end of 2015 and the 76 seaters probably being on property by then; Does it not set the stage of DAL hitting their DCI limits at the time of another bargaining round? What is the history on the property at these pressure points?
These new RJ's allow DAL to fly the sublease lift another 15 years. Changing out the 70's for 76 seaters under the current agreement would allow the same. In the current agreement the 50's are unlimited, and in the new one they get capped. In the near and mid term the 50's are going to go away. With this agreement 76 seat jet count will go up, 70's are static.
In five years the 70's leases will come up, 50's will be retiring, and DAL will want to offer a lower DCI cap by parking more 50 seaters and returning 70's for a mere six extra seats for those 102 aircraft. What's the harm? See where this is going? Does it offer the solution you seek?
*You wanted a counter point, look in to the future and see that the timing of our next round works well for more scope redos, an overall lower level at DCI, but in turn more aircraft operated as 76 seat aircraft.
I think our dissonance is whether management would retire the 70 seaters to bring on 76 seaters. I think that you and DL pilot assume no. I'm stating "maybe." Further, I'm pretty sure management has committed to 125 to 150 of the 50 seat jets. They may swap a few rotables and engines around resulting in maintenance hangars that look like the set for Junk Yard Wars.
"quick, take these four airplanes, make one with 4,500 more cycles on it, have it ready for the 06:00 departure, ready set, GO!"