Originally Posted by
johnso29
I'm still wondering how some of you guys think DAL will run with 500 to 1000 less pilots. BP5 was delayed until AFTER summer 09 because if it was implemented any earlier the NWA side would have been SEVERELY short staffed.
With 777s & MD90s coming I don't see how we could furlough for longer then 2 years. They certainly could NOT justify furloughing 500 to 1000 for only 2 years, plus the airline would be crippled with that many out for any duration.
Well - the only way Delta could operate with 500 to 1000 less pilots is to park airplanes (as I understand the staffing right now). But since Delta is talking about cutting capacity, they could easily park airplane - poof, there goes the need for that 500-1000 pilots (if they cut enough).
Another option is to cut mainline service and replace it with RJs. That would impact mainline staffing with but would seem like less of a capacity cut.
One thing I've learned in this business is that airlines can shrink to unimaginably small sizes if business is bad enough: one of my former cargo airlines had 120 pilots when I was started there in 2000. Now it has 8.