Originally Posted by
sailingfun
Its amazing to me how ignorant pilots can be on a process that is so important. Instead of carefully reading the union Comm’s they rely on forums. The 28 million number you reference was what we gained in a handful of very low cost sections that were closed out at that time. Those sections probably had a total value of 120 million so yes I was happy with 28 million in improvements. I have also posted repeatedly that I was looking for a contract total gain of about 1 billion in year one. That would have been a 20% net gain. I do realize that is paltry compared to the 60% plus net gain we demanded.
When we get this contract done I bet it’s right around that one billion number just 4 years late and a tremendous gain by the company with losing more than a contract cycle and a tremendous loss to the pilots. A loss that will carry forward contract after contract.
By opening for a 3 billion plus contract we assured the company a victory. Now we are just trying to define the terms and salvage what we can.
Then Sir, we must adjust our expectations and demands.
American and United will match us.
The market for our services is likely to properly be a gross add off > $1.5bn.
I am getting offers that match my current Delta income with all the overtime flying. So straight pay, going back to my old line of work is a better deal, especially when MUCH MUCH better healthcare, a defined benefit pension plan (of sorts, can't believe they still exist) and company stock are all above what Delta offers. As this continues and I keep looking at it, there could easily be a point where even a semi-senior Captain finds working here as just not worth it and leave. That is the market. ... and IMHO there are many pilots who are smarter, have a more diverse skill set and connections better than mine.
The nostalgic reasons for staying here are diminishing with every WOCL intrusion. Delta hired guys who believe in the magic. Ed's never been a believer. Numbers guys don't keep the faith.