Originally Posted by
newKnow
Sailing,
Even though there has been no SLI yet, "you" is quickly becoming "we." Those 100 seat aircraft are something that is unique to the Legacy Carriers right now - (Except US Airways EMB-195's). If we were smart, we would be trying to keep them.
How many DC-9 would NWA have next year? I can't say for sure, but I doubt if they would park them all. This may sound funny, but people do have to get from Traverse City and Minot to the hubs you know and they pay big bucks to do it. No matter how much you like the MD-88 or the 737, I doubt that it make sense to take those airplanes into places like that.
The argument to keep the -9s is that there is no real replacement out there for them except the EMB-195. Is it cheaper to keep the -9s or buy a brand new multi million dollar aircraft? I'll let the bean counters make that determination. But, whatever they decide, we as a union should do whatever it takes to keep that flying for the mainline carriers.
I guess what I'm saying is that you should not assume that NWA is planning on parking all of the DC-9s. If they do, they will have to replace them. Which is good for all of us.
New K Now
Well put. I hope we can all commit to making sure that ANYTHING north of 76 seats will here and forevermore be flown by mainline pilots, at mainline rates, with mainline paint. He11, I'd be on board for getting the 70s' back (or in the first place). I pray we all learned the scope lessen of the last decade. And yes I held this view when I was a turbo prop and rj driver.