Easy there. No need to be confrontational. I only posted because the information didn't seem accurate. I am glad you like my screen name. You posted this:

With regards to the 717 info you wrote, it is clearly implying that the items you listed are unexpected things that have occurred that have changed the outlook on the 717 program from the initial expectations. I would go so far as to say it implies that these things have caused the costs associated with the 717 to be higher than expected and thus "the program isn't going to well".

The statement that the pilot positions went senior doesn't make any sense when applied as an effect on the cost of the program. It's irrelevant. Many of the First Officer positions on the 717 are filled with newhires and those who are at or near the bottom of our seniority list. Some senior FOs, but not a ton, just like with every category we have. No shocker there. When it comes to Captains, I will agree that the very first bid went more senior than would normally have occurred, but there was a very specific reason for it and ultimately it is irrelevant.

The reason the first bid for the 717 (April 2013) went senior is that the company advertised prior to the bid that the pilots would be trained ASAP on the aircraft in order to be ready for the first deliveries months later (originally projected for late August 2013 IIRC). They needed to keep the training pipeline full to be able to staff the category for the anticipated pace of deliveries. Since the aircraft were not coming for many months after the bid, everyone knew going in that you would train early and then sit for the entire summer getting paid to do nothing while waiting for the first airplanes to show up so you could do OE. You couple that with the knowledge that every trip initially was going to be used for OE, so even after you completed your OE, most of your trips were going to get bought for OEs for other pilots by line check airmen and you would further get paid to stay home. It wasn't rocket science to realize that several senior pilots jumped all over a summer paid vacation. When the delivery of the first aircraft were further delayed, this just made it an even better deal. Now, how much extra did it cost the company for these Captain positions to be filled by more senior pilots? $0. The most junior Captain systemwide (he's NYC based on the MD88) has been with the company over 14 years. The Delta payscale tops out after 12 years. Every Captain at the company is top of scale. The wage cost is no different for that position if it were filled with a 12 year pilot or a 25 year pilot. There was never any expectation or planning made which depended on pilots not at top of scale getting the Captain positions. Thus implying that because it went senior (which it only did on that first bid, now it's running about the same as the MD88/90) it cost more and is part of a reason why the 717 program isn't doing well is not accurate.

I apologize if you were offended by me posting on this board. I happened to see a statement that was presented as fact that I believed was not accurate and so I stated that. It wasn't meant as a dig at you personally nor an attack. I truly wish the pilots at Expressjet nothing but the best and hope that many continue to join our ranks at Delta.