Originally Posted by
NuGuy
Heyas Hockey,
Sad. Very Sad.
The DC-9-10 flying out of MSP was some of the best flying EVER.
"Fly heading 330, proceed direct Bismark when able, climb to 350" right after MSP approach switched you to center. Next time you talked with them was when you wanted to start down.
Sure, it didn't have VNAV (other than what was between your ears), but no ATC hassles, no angst from the east/west coast passengers (despite that you were ALWAYS full going to these places), ZERO traffic hassles at your desintation, and getting paid $195/hr in the left seat....oh yea, and you upgraded in 5 years.
THIS is what we lost. I was walking down the C concourse in DTW the other day. I walked a LONG time before I found an DCI plane going somewhere that WASN'T a mainline destination a just few years ago.
To our former negotiators: Thanks for deciding the 76 seaters were ok at DCI.
Nu
The -10 was a great jet. Another blown ALPA mission. But, they sure did make sure we didn't give up that Asia flying.
At the risk of bringing down the wrath of the "don't say anything bad about my ALPA" crowd, I must say that the biggest disappointments I've had with my union have been:
1.) Their lacking strength to fight for our pensions.
2.) Their willingness to give up the 70 seaters. (whatever happened to that line in the sand?)
No one realizes it, but because ALPA was playing checkers with a management team that was playing chess, in 10 months the smallest airplane we will have being flown by mainline new DAL pilots will be the A-319 & 737-700's (124).
Unless acl comes forth with some juicy new rumor of a 100 seat replacement that will be on property in the next two years, I think we should have castled right away.
New K Now