Originally Posted by GoCats67

Tank-

Not true. (or maybe not any more, as the movement has already happened)

However, they have enough 737 FOs in IAH to staff a much larger 737 presence than IAH has these days (it is even worse in the 737 Captain seat) Currently the company is "forcing" flying into the IAH 737 domicile by making longer and, for the company, less productive trips. by staffing that flying in IAH it costs the company money, so they don't like it. So, there will almost certainly be a displacement of many IAH 737 Captains and maybe some FOs (though I doubt that part)coming at the end of July.

That will mean a number of Captains need to find a new seat, most of whom will likely choose the 787 or 777 FO seat in IAH. There may be another round of displacements, but hopefully the planned delivery of 787s and 777-300s will allow most of the excess in the 737 fleet to be absorbed in the widebody fleets at IAH with out too many additional casualties. I would strongly doubt that it would get all the way down to the A320 FO seat.

Unfortunately for the IAH 737 fleet in IAH, I don't think it will stay at the level they bump down to. I think that it is likely that they will continue to let IAH 737 shrink down to around 350-375 pilots in each seat through the natural process of pilots bidding to other airplanes. So, that would mean it will be quite some time before there would be any need for new 737 FOs in IAH. (currently there are about 550 Captains and 420 FOs)

While some of that drawdown in need for 737 pilots in IAH is due to actual reduction of demand and thus flying, the other (an larger) reason they are so out of balance is the moving of airplanes around the operation. The movement of the 737 flying out of IAH has been ugly for those based there on the 73, but there has also been the benefit of A320 flying moving in.

The movement of A320 flying into the IAH base has happened and that base is, if anything, a little understaffed to where the company would like it to be. Once the IAH displacements (and likely displacements in DEN on the 757/767 and potentially A320 fleet, both of whom have the same "forced flying" issue as above)) happen you will then see bids to fill in the gaps that remain in staffing. Barring something really strange in the displacement process, that will mean there are opportunities for movement into IAH as an A320 FO.

So, the opportunity for movement into IAH is much higher on the A320 than it is on the 737 in the near term.

The final caveat is - the long range planning committee meets twice a day, so be sure to check back tomorrow!!