Junglebus flies for Compass. I'm not going to post his name because it would be a breach of privacy but I think it should be mentioned that there are different approaches to thinking and attitudes within the ranks of the CP flow-through pilots.

The facts are what they are. The average CP pilot has seen quality of life declining over the last 24 months give or take. After CP was sold to TSA in 2010 we saw very little in the way of changes. Our management was generally left to run the airline as it had been running before the purchase. Don't get me wrong, it was still a typical regional in many ways but there wasn't an adversarial attitude between management and the pilot group. As TSA has become more and more involved with the day to day operation a much more hostile work environment has begun to appear. I will not elaborate on this publicly. We are in the very early stages of our own contract negotiations and I believe that TSA managements approach is to attack pilots as part of this process and we have started seeing those attacks. It is unlike anything that I have ever personally experienced until now.

All of that being said, how does this effect a CP flow-through pilot's view of the Delta TA?

There is certainly a desire to see Delta begin hiring. I would guess that around 85-90 percent of the flow-through pilots are committed to a career at Delta. This group will simply wait for the call from Atlanta and won't complete applications to other carriers.

CP PILOTS WHO HATE THE TA: As things decline at CP our pilots are becoming impatient. Many pilots would have preferred an agreement that left DL understaffed and in immediate need for more pilots. These pilots saw the scope changes as a loss. Many felt like some of you did that the 50 seat jet was going away with or without a TA that forced their removal from the system. Some thought that DALPA should have attempted to recapture 70/76 seat flying and anything less was a loss that took away from additional mainline jobs. We have received mixed signals this year from our management as far as what to expect in the way of CP pilots flowing to DL. In fact our System Chief Pilot even sent an email early in the year saying that DL had indicated to CP management that we should expect maximum flow though in 2012 (that is 25% of our seniority list). It seems that this isn't likely.

CP PILOTS WHO LIKED THE TA (ME): There are also pilots with slightly more patience. I think that I am in that category. Don't get me wrong, I am ready to move forward in my career and I am enjoying my job less and less as TSA management has it's way with us. However, I supported Delta pilots and commented that had I been on property at the time of the vote I would have been in favor of the TA. I stand by that statement. I have many years remaining in this career and I think that the TA sets Delta and DAL pilots up for success in the long run and to ME that is what is most important. It may mean that I get to DL a year later than I possibly would have (impossible to say) but I believe it means that my career will be better in the long run. I am a realist and 70/76 seat jets at Delta are over. Scope recapture isn't going to happen anytime soon. When you release a segment of business from your scope of work in your contract it is nearly impossible to recapture it. So my viewpoint was that of a yes voter: Make the most of what you have and increase quality of life for DELTA PILOTS. It may mean I spend an extra year on the outside but I will spend vastly more years flying for DL than for CP regardless. Anyhow, I am rambling.

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In the meantime there is nothing we (CP) can do about it. The TA has been signed and is a reality. The call from DL will come when it comes. The best thing that we can do is try and do our best to run our operation in a way that makes DAL look good and saves them money. Pilots are in a much better position when negotiating with a profitable company than one losing money so I'll do what little part I can to try and save what I can.

Junglebus is a great guy but I cannot speak for him and in fact I disagree with him on some of these issues. He may say that all of his viewpoints are rooted in principle but I believe a lot of it has to do with wanting to get across the terminal ASAP. I'll have to let him respond.

UA