Originally Posted by
acl65pilot
Do you think it will be 1992 wages plus inflation? I do not, I think it will be a strong step in the right direction, but not a grand slam.
We keep looking in the rear view mirror at what we had, and that is a good guide, but you must look at the entire picture and frame it. Start with profit margins, and debt, and debt service. With being debt owned many airline's hands are tied. It really is up to the banks to sign off on any expenditure, not the Board. They threaten increased interest, calling in loans and a ton of other tactics.
The best thing DAL is doing for our cause is to pay down debt and purchase jets with cash. It makes the leverage of the financial institutions less of a hurdle.
You keep using this analogy of a "grand slam." To me, that has connotations of full restoration or maybe even more. Unfortunately, the increase APA has asked for (~50%) is not full restoration. It is only partial restoration. So, if you consider that to be a "grand slam", then I would hate to think what your "strong step in the right direction" would be!
Sounds to me like in reality you've given up on restoration. You're certainly entitled to your opinion, but I don't think it is a mindset that this pilot group wants leading us into C2012.