Originally Posted by
Tomcat
When I was forloughed in 2002, we had over 10,500 pilots on property, after I came back and we started hiring again, we got down to 5700 and change. What happened to those nearly 5000 seats? It wasn't all from getting rid of the three holers, 727's, L1011's. Delta as a company was flying around the same amount. Where did they go? I think we all know.
Not to be argumentative, but your numbers aren't correct. The most pilots we ever had on the seniority list was just over 10,200 (July 16, 2001). Out of that list only 8,200 were actively flying the line. Over 1000 were on disability, 400 in the new hire training pipeline (many of whom were furloughed without ever doing any line flying) and there was a substantial number on MLOA. The lowest we ever got was just under 6,200. During the time frame we're talking about there were 1060 pilots on furlough (1310 if you include 250 FMII that were recalled because of the no furlough clause), and 3000 pilots retired.