1) March AE goal, get MD-88 pilots to bid the 717. Saves money. Offer a summer off, tell them 88 overstaffed and will be cut anyways, reserve will suck, the 717 we'll have A/C, computers, tablets, etc. MISSION ACCOMPLISHED.
2) June AE goal, get junior 7ER pilots to bid the MD-88. Remind them the 757 is going away and you may hold the 737 soon.
No wait, why not get them to bid the 737 right now? Well, because we need to save the 737 for more senior 7ER pilots as more 757s leave and we have more displacement bids? It's no secret now the 757 is leaving. From the Q1 discussion "We will begin taking delivery of 8 to 10 aircraft per month starting in September, which will allow us to retire nearly 40 older mainline aircraft, primarily 757s and the remaining DC-9s".
I think the real disappointment is seeing those block hour comparisons for 2013 vs 2012 and 2011. Sometimes I buy into the hope but they're telegraphing some things in every quarter discussion:
a) we're not hiring (via crew planning),
b) we're up-gauging which means more ASMs with fewer jets,
c) fewer jets means fewer pilots,
d) more productivity [to pay for the contract coupled with a reduction in profit sharing*] means fewer-er pilots.
e) pilots moving down to lower paying aircraft saves money.
*their words not mine.