Originally Posted by
80ktsClamp
The 717s are to replace lift of the DC-9s (17 left) and CRJs being parked. Mainline fleet count is now ~720 and with the delivery of the 717s, the mainline fleet is planned to go to 796. That's quite a few more pilot positions and 20 airplanes more than DL/NW combined had premerger.
Here's to some relief from the pain, stagnation, and otherwise craphole that the state of things are now.
So, the net gain will be about 240 pilots (or roughly a 2% increase)? IF the others "Legacy" carriers can follow suit and add 2%, that is only another 600 new slots. If the LLCs do likewise, that is an addition 250 slots. Cargo companies, and maybe another couple hundred..
So IF EVERYBODY grows as much as it APPEARS Delta will, there might be enough openings to re-employ about half of the Pinnacle folks after we go tango uniform.* Yeah, how about that pilot shortage!
Hey, it's great you are taking back some jobs: G#d bless y'all. But the reality is, for some of us old farts, it's too little, too late.
*Sorry Comair folks, I would have put you guys ahead of us, but I couldn't remember how many of you there were.