Does the company even need DALPA's permission to offer a pilot early retirement program? Or is the permission needed specifically to target the 747 fleet?

The company could run a displacement bid to eliminate the 747 surpluses, convert them to a lower paying seat (A330) and then simply not ever send them to school. They could pay them A330 rates while they sit at home, vs. paying them 37 weeks of 747 pay to go early...and sit at home. The "problem" is, some of the junior most 747 Capts and F/O's are nowhere near age 65, so they have to go 'somewhere', and that's going to cause some downflow/heartburn in the A330 category.

The most junior 747 Capts. who would be displaced first can't hold the 777, so they won't be going there, fences or not.