Math Problem for the Day (I hope newk has recovered from his analysis of the staffing formula)
Delta currently flies about 3,600,000 domestic block hours per year (combined mainline + DCI).
- Our current share of those block hours is 53.9%
- Under the TA, if Delta purchases the extra 70 76 seat jets the minimum share of our block hours rises to 60.9%. Calculate the difference between our current share and our minimum new share.
- Divide that difference by 12 to get the monthly block hours.
- Multiply that number by 2 because we have two pilots per domestic cockpit.
- Divide by 60 whcih is what our block hours per pilot will be in the future.
- Tell me how many additional pilot jobs at mainline that this creates
- Now contemplate that with a hard cap on DCI fleet, where does all additonal system capacity growth have to go after that.
Mr. JungleBus claims that they can buy the 76 seaters and then dump mainline aircraft. How can they do that and still increase the mainline share of block hours? That is why there is the ratio built in, and it is a very powerful ratio that you will never see again under a new negotiation. Management felt like we took their children when this was negotiated. Block hours are the core of pilot jobs, the number of aircraft required to create those block hours are basically fixed by the average daily ute rate of aircraft.
Bonus question: Under Delta's business plan our share of block hours will rise to 64% (remember DCI fleet is capped). Redo the above calculations and tell me how many jobs that creates at mainline.