They hired 300 to 400 additional pilots last year to increase staffing for schedule reliability. Hiring the forum assured us they would not possibly be able to do.
We spent the 3 years prior moving flying from DCI to the mainline. That transition is now for the most part over. Again something else the forum said would not happen.
Hiring going forward is going to be for a very low level of growth given the current focus on capacity discipline. 2% is probably a pretty good number for growth. That requires about 300 pilots a year. They expect 400 pilots to retire this year. Hence the 700 number. In 2018 they expect 600 retirements so I would expect about 900 new hires.
The increase in retirements is one of the reasons the timing of the 717 buy was so critical. They needed it done before the retirements ramp up.
If the economy trends better and growth increases a point or two then we will hire more. If it goes in the other direction we will hire less. Delta unlike American or United has a better ability to adjust capacity up or down the next five years. That can work for or against us!
As far as the two pacific joint ventures under consideration both would increase are need for pilots. If the Shanghai hub ever actually becomes a reality it would be a large increase due to the distance and augmentation requirements. If you look back on management timelines that should have been underway now so you are correct the JV is affecting manning. Just not in a good way.