I don't know the answers, and I don't care, but this does make a good point... I don't think it's neccessary for us to police each other on internet forums WRT policies that belong to Flight Ops. The South doesn't own SE taxi. If Flight Ops determines there is less or more compliance in one fleet or another, then let them address it. As (I think) you'e saying: it's Delta's place to manage fuel burn.

I'm getting tired of some of the North guys' attittudes about some of the current policies, but it's not because I "own" them, or that I'm particularly attached to them. It's because I want to be part of the solution, and I want us to craft "best practices" together, once we're in the same cockpits. I'm not married to AWABS. I didn't design the IT architecture. I don't write manuals. So I'm not offended by interest in changing any of these things. I'm just offended by some of the guys that feel obligated to give everyone on the "other side" the finger, as they describe practices with demeaning monickers, and suggest we don't know how to run an airline.

The flip side of this is that I don't think South pilots want to lecture North pilots on close adherence to procedures. They have enough to get used to. As long as they're willing to adapt, and use current procedures well enough that we can fly safely together, great. Then we can tinker with procedures and improve them.

So I think we can "download" a lot of these discussions back to where they belong: with Flight Ops. Don't like something? Don't tell APC: write Delta Flight Ops.