Just a little history from back in 2006 contract negotiations.

I was talking to one of are Union reps at the F St Bar in ANC after we signed are Contact. I asked him why the company finally came to the table and agreed to sign a TA. He said that one weekend, 3 MD11 did not fly because they couldn't fill the right seat (FO), and on Monday morning during the companies senior management meeting this was brought to the attention of Senior management and they informed the Labor Relations Lawyer to get a TA ASAP. I think we had a TA in a couple of weeks.

Flash forward a couple of years later and I was in NRT having a cold beverage with the old head of MD11 program. He confirmed the story that the company was short MD11 FO's, and he was directed to get all the SIM, Check airman, LCA, etc... out to fly the line since they are all dual qual. He said that he would, but the company only has about 3 months of this before regular line Captains would start to go uncurrent because there were no more LCA to administer line checks, sim rides, etc...

So, enjoy your summer and within no time we will have a TA....