Originally Posted by
acl65pilot
I agree, the flying will more towards three and four day trips which is what DAL prefers. The shorter trips pay hard time and not 3.5 to 1 trip rig thus saving them the money of the trip rig and the DH credit. It will allow them to do more with less. I do beleive that is the number one driver in moving the jets and making the pilots go though the training pipeline.
We have long said that DAL hates DH and when they can they will move jets and pilots to get away from the rotations that pay on trip rig.
I think the company will save more money on hotel bills than on DH/rigs. The deadheads are not usually that inefficient on the backend because they usually don't require a layover. The trips I have been flying have had very little rig, but I don't fly Africa. It may not save them any rig money on Africa trips with really long layovers.
If they had to DH from somewhere other than DTW then maybe DH penalty would be more significant than lodging.