Originally Posted by Bucking Bar

Denny,

ALPA has always had contract language to deal with staffing. An easy fix to the AF/KLM deficit was language which required Delta staff for our share of flying without regard for whether it was actually scheduled & flown.

As is, it turns out to have just been convenient that there was a deficit in our production balance.

I'd state that a lot of things can be "convenient" when you run your own business and have numerous alter ego's to move assets around to:

• Delta needed large RJ's to renegotiate CPA with Skywest. How convenient, Comair just folded.
• Air France ordered aircraft that it network could not support, Delta's in for half, how convenient, we have a three year window on compliance.
• Endeavor's in bankruptcy and their pilots are scared to death, how convenient we just got permission for more new large RJ's

and going further back

• Continental Air Lines needs a computerized reservation system ... how convenient, Eastern needs to sell the World's best.
• Delta can't fill MD88's and 727's after 9/11; how convenient, we already have 500+ RJ's on order and with these minor scope changes we can put them into service next week, they're already here, how convenient.

The list could go on for pages.

FWIW, ALPA's been delivering what it's pilots want. Surveys say PAY ME, with distant consideration given to the scope that glues the Company to the agreement.

I'd think the first step would be for we line guys to seriously consider what we state in our survey responses.