Originally Posted by
Herkflyr
Two comments back at you.
1. The "sleeper cell" observation is just completely irrelevant. Delta--and every other airline in history--has always had the ability to assign flying any way they want. Even today the 777, which is 95% ultra-long-haul flying, has two day trips that fly ATL-LAX, layover, then LAX-ATL back on day two. Are you stating that we should have a separate 777 "domestic" category just for those trips?
2. The pilots who were on the 7ER in 07-08 were usually assigned those categories as newhires--that could only have happened if those positions went unfilled on an AE. That actually happened, but will most likely never happen again. AND, that all happened at a time when the company was vastly increasing flying to Europe (pre economic meltdown) and hadn't stop flying to several Middle East markets (JFK-AMM, JFK-CAI) prior to the "Arab Spring."
Bottom line is that any new hire in 07 who got the 7ER bid, and was able to fly to international destinations, was part of a very unique one-time only set of circumstances--just like guys in their second year with the company were flying Delta Express captain (and holding a line) in 1998.
I don't resent any of it and am actually happy for anyone who was able to hold Kiev in year two. I just don't want to hear complaints from said guys as if their early "success" was somehow owed them, and any lack of ability to continue that at this point in time is something of a conspiracy.
Here's a funny story for you Herk, along the same lines as this discussion.
Back in summer of 2000, while we were still negotiating what later became C2K (finally signed in the summer of 2001) I was jumpseating out of MCO to ATL on an L10-11. At the time, I was a ATL MD-11 F/O.
So I get into a jumpseat, and along comes another Delta Pilot for the second jumpseat. He's an old fart, and a Capt. also in uniform. I figure he's got to be an ER Capt. or someone, also commuting to ATL. So after we get above 10,000' he starts asking me where I'm going, what I'm doing, etc. I tell him I'm going to London on the Mighty Dog.
He says, "Well, I just hope they FIX that 737 Express Pay Rate in this contract, $100 hr. for a Captain is just not right, YOU make $50 an hour more than I do, you're just and F/O, and I'm a Captain!"
I said, "I agree, and that's why I voted NO in 1996." and then I asked him what he's flying.
He said Express Captain. (he was 'old' because he was a 45yr. old retired LT. Col. as a new hire)
I asked him how many years he had at Delta, he said 3.
I then tapped the engineer on the shoulder and asked him how many years he had, he said 5, then I asked the F/O how many years, he said 10.
I then looked at this moron, and I said, "Yup, we'd better fix it, and as soon as we do, I'm bidding it, and so is he, and him too, (pointing at the engineer and F/O) and YOU will be displaced to NYC 727 engineer, where you BELONG!"
I guess it had never occurred to this nit-wit that the ONLY reason he was a 3 year 737 Captain, was because of the EXPRESS PAY RATES!
