Originally Posted by Bucking Bar

(DOH, Fences, for the NWB 2007 hires) and ratio above, is my fairly well informed guess. It would need to be a pretty tall fence for the DAL guys since they are hiring into equipment that would be very senior (13 to 15 years) on the NWA property (wide body international - some 07 hires are holding ER lines). Also, NWA's small narrowbody fleet is shinking, reducing upgrade potential for DAL new hires. This was balanced by the demographics of the NWA pilots with more retirements coming up, but the age 65 rule negated some of that upgrade potential. The NWA guys say their age 60 crowd will retire, but at other airlines that has not been the case. We will have to see if there is some incentive that comes forward.

If ALPA gets something from the merger, I would like to see the union use that money to either buy the senior guys off the top of the list, or pay cash to the junior guys who are going to have their career expectations damaged by the merger. Buying the top NWA guys off their list would equalize the effect of the 2,000 Delta pilots that took an early retirement. It would be an equitable solution to the problem that this merger brings to the junior Delta pilots & to the NorthWest pilots who's upgrade potential might be effected by the large number of age 45 to 55 pilots at Delta.

I'm a 2007 hire holding domestic 767 in a warm weather base. I would hope there would be something to prevent similarly situated pilots from being blasted out of their base by a displaced DC-9 First Officer with 10 to 15 years' worth of seniority. In the case of displacements, the contract would have to be changed, or else folks like me might as well turn in our resignations now, to explain - Talking to the pilots in my class, most are planning on executing their second choice job option if the situation arises that NWA pilots can displace junior DAL guys as the DC-9's go away.

This will be a very good raise for the NWA guys. The folks that kept their pensions are getting their cake and eating it also.

Specifically, I'm not comparing pilot groups. But there is a large difference in opportunities available to the junior pilots at both airlines and this IS a deal changer. It is a lot easier to walk away before you have a whole lot of time invested. For now, I'll stay put and see how big the fences are.

Don't take anything I have written seriously. I DO expect some sort of protection and ALPA's effort at unity in this merger is the right thing to do. So don't let me stir the pot, or make anyone angry, I'm just offering ideas for discussion.

BTW - WOW - Good Article, thanks for posting this Corsair!