It's going on as we speak...

There are many "scope" issues well beyond the RJs.
Take a look at Section 1 of our PWA and compare the AF JV, the old CAL, the RJ and the AS section.

• Our JV with AF is a great example of how to manage scope well and correctly with the ratio of ASMs set at 50% and reviewed annually.
• Our old CAL section had good provisions protecting ETOPs flying to the islands with similar percentages.
• Even the RJ section has ratios of flying set up with RJs required to fly to hubs from outsations and hub-tohub flying by RJs limited to 6%.
• Now look at the AS section the only limit is 25% of hub-to-hub flying and the 86-seat cap on codeshare. There are no Island-flying protections because the authors didn't picture AS doing ETOPs flying the way the CAL provisions were written.

Guess what, we just cancelled HNL flying from a bunch of our hubs with AS picking up he route often a day later...

• Should AS buy HA our current Section 1 would permit AS A330 flying HNL-NRT with the DL code.
  
• Looking over the fence UAL and Air Lingus are looking at setting up a JV to fly MAD-IAD with off seniority-list pilots.
  
• BA set up "Open Skies" to fly CDG-JFK with jets pulled from the BA fleet and staffed with new-hire pilots.

If you believe "scope" is an issue that requires nothing more than cursory attention you are seriously kidding yourself and need to take a look around in this industry on a global level...
We are not immune from these challenges, in fact should we succeed with our pay-restoration efforts - and I hope we do - we make the business case that much more compelling for outsourcing DL flying to non-Delta pilots.

If it is indeed such a "non-issue" just add the few words to the DALPA mission statement that direct the MEC to expand and protect the extent of Delta flying performed by Delta pilots.

Cheers
George

Links:
ba-pilots-prepared-strike-openskies-threatens

pilots-wary-of-proposed-united-airlines

Delta cancels PDX HNL

Delta cancels MSP HNL