Originally Posted by
bigbusdriver
Every rep I have spoken to has said that the ratio requires DCI to shrink and is not intended to force mainline to grow. DCI shrinking by almost 25%
even if we don't grow looks pretty good to me. RA is directly quoted "
We would mostly use them to replace inefficient 50-seat regional jets." It might be a stretch but my maths say you can't replace 50 seat block hours with 717s AND maintain your graph ratios showing mainline NOT growing AND DCI shrinking 24,7%??? Every other poster has said RA doesn't lie. Either the business plan is to replace 50 seat lift or it's a trick. Either way your graphs seem to proof in a worst case scenario that DCI shrinks in block hours and planes.
If the intent was to shrink DCI wouldn't we have set up the relationship where Mainline sets the bar for DCI?
You are confusing capacity and block-hours...
The two leashes put on DCI by the TA are:
-block-hours
-airframes
We chose block-hours, because it most closely tracks pilot jobs.
One block hour = two guys getting paid one unit of their respective hourly rate
Block-hours are not aircraft or utilization specific.
Delta can fly one fleet a lot and another a little to get the block-hours, or spread it out evenly.
The DCI block-hours are the same, a 50-seater or a 76-seater for each hour of operation generate 1 block-hour...
All I am saying is this:
Delta can fly any block-hour ratio they want but once all 76-seaters are here it can be no less the 1.56.
While 1.56 sounds better than 1.19 (our current actual ratio) DCI will be producing fewer block-hours and we will be multiplying those fewer block hours by 1.56 to get to the minimum mainline block-hours required.
The middle bar graph shows how with DCI block-hours reduced by 25% the "protection" offered by 1.56 produces a mainline block-hour floor that is below the current number of mainline block-hours.
My reps have confirmed that that is indeed the case.
I suggest you go though the numbers exercise for yourself.
Cheers
George
P.S.: Since you want to talk capacity: Capacity is measured in ASMs.
At the same number of block-hours, up gauging produces more, down gauging produces fewer ASMs.
Our block-hour ratio has nothing to do with capacity...