Originally Posted by
keenster
tsquare,
Not sure how long you have been around this business, but the above post sure shows a since of having your head stuck in the sand. First of all, the NWA retirements are a fact of law and can be counted. Second of all I am flying with guys every month that are retiring at 60 and some are even going before 60. Some are hanging around hoping for an equity stake and then bail. No one has said they are hanging around to be a "Delta Pilot" or to get a pay raise. This is factual because I am flying with these senior guys every day. Fact, we have many more retirements in the next 5-10 years than Delta.
Fact, Your growth plan is just that a plan. It is not law and can change at any moment. Never count on an airplane coming until it is on the property. Also, I did not realize that we have a fleet and that you have a fleet after this merger takes place. I think that Delta management has a fleet as they are the owners of the planes and leases. What they choose to do, no one knows but I hope that it is something very wise and good for the pilot group.
Fact, We are in the worst possible economic time in a very long time and oil is at an all time high. Probably capacity will have to be cut in order to be a viable airline. I don't think that bodes well for growth although I hope that I am wrong. I think that growth happens for the whole airline not just a segment of it.
Fact, If you can bid a higher paying position and have more days off I think that any sane pilot would do that. There might be some DAL pilots that want to fly the 400 or NWA guys that want to fly the 777. I would speak for myslef and not your entire pilot group.
Also, the big pay raise that is talked about so much will really not do much for the NWA guys. We are flying 87 hours max. Cutting to 75 hours actually gives us a pay cut with the new rates. Might break even if we are lucky. But, am for working less that is good.
Just remember that airplane orders are just that orders!!! They are not real until they are on the ramp. We had 340 orders but where are they??? I had a 747 captian bid the month before 9/11 hit and bang that went away. Growth gone just like that.
Any way enough soap box. I have voiced my thoughts.
God Speed and Good Luck to US All!!!!!!
Keenster
I've been around long enough to see 2 mergers here at DAL... well I got here just after the WAL merger, but I flew with a LOT of former WAL guys. And I don't pretend to speak for all DAL pilots. Our MEC does that.
As for the payrate thing.. In a political setting it can be argued any way. Payraise, paycut.. whatever makes you happy. The thing is, that IF you want, you can work 1000 hours/year. The 75 hours is just for the initial bid award. You can pick up anything in open time, anytime you want. With higher pay rates, I can't help but see that as a payraise. IOW.. IF you work the same number of hours, and receive mo money... isn't that a payraise from your current situation? Or am I missing something? So work only 75 if you want... but don't call that a paycut. And just for my edification, how can you work 87 hours/month? You would time out sometime in early December wouldn't you? We have quarterly limits and a complicated formula for dcetermining how much we can fly, but I majored in architecture, not mathematics... Charley Epps might know.
As for your other assertions that orders are orders.. and all... no argument.. but retirements are not retirements until the walk out the door either. Agreed? All they guys I fly with are younger than me, so I don't have the perspective of flying with guys near retirement age like you do. Notwithstanding, they ain't gone till they are gone.
I too hope that management has a good plan. I will say that this management team is the best we have had here since I have been on the property. Kinda isn't sayin much in a way, but I think we now have some really sharp people on board. Guys who know how to make money for the company. (Not talking about Anderson... the jury's still out on him) The route guys are second in this business to none.
Yup... good luck to us all.