Something to think about as well: while they COULD fly reserves that much, the new FT/DT rules change the 1000 hours per calendar year to a rolling 12 month period. So, instead of timing out only being a problem in NOV and DEC, it would be a problem year round (every month).

Basically, the most they could ever consistently fly you (once the new rules are in place) is 83 hours. There could be heavy months (90+ hours) but there would have to be lighter months down the line to keep you legal.

Just commentary. Non-voter here, and this tidbit has nothing to do with the fact that I think the TA is unsatisfactory.

I don't care what the PLANNED time is. I want to know what they can DO. That kind of argument has gotten us into a lot of trouble over the years.

I still don't see any way that we are guaranteed that more flying isn't transferred to DCI other than that based on a "plan" That worries me.

Sections 1.D.5 and 6 directly transfer flying to DCI, there is no way to spin that otherwise. 90% requirement that those airplanes fly into and out of hubs... yet no more than 6% between hubs... All those AGS/BHM/TLH type of routes will henceforth be handled by DCI. Book it. What will be the need for a 100 seat airplane?

WHEREAS, this is apparently a two-pronged approach to coerce the Delta pilots into selling scope, and

WHEREAS, the senior pilots were supposed to be tempted yesterday by the (albeit paltry) pay increase, and

WHEREAS, the junior pilots were supposed to be tempted today by the promise of 717s to replace the jets Delta has already parked,

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that we will not be fooled by management's carrot, which they have been peeling since they found out about the Airtran merger. Some guys saw them tying it on the stick yesterday, and in the midst of our constant braying about the terrible TA, they have put the stick out in front of us. It's not changing my vote!

I guess you don't like your regionals to be regional, you'd rather them do ATL-BZN and MSP-YVR....

This deal is going to take mainline's share of domestic block hours from 54% to a minimum of 61%. If management executes on the business plan the share will actually be 64% mainline to DCI's 36%.

Oh, I suspect you'll see some of the city pairs you mentioned on a small narrowbody aircraft. Look at the historical ATL-DC9 bid packages for some more routes we may see come to the mainline. NewYork LGA is also a place ripe for upgauging, as it is slot constrained.

Did anybody notice the all-mainline LGA growth announcement on Monday...maybe that slot swap was good for us after all.:D

Delta Air Lines, Inc. holds no 50 seat leases except some at Comair which are probably near their termination anyway. Only some of the 76 seat aircraft are owned by DAL. A majority of the 50 seaters are owned by GECAS, Wells Fargo, and Bombardier I believe.

I think there may be a widebody order in the late fall. So far RA has done what he has stated with orders. The order however will be replacement aircraft and the likely first delivery date would not be until 2017. The only way I see a real increase inn widebodies is a massive world wide economic recovery. That does not seem likely.

And what happens if they don't?

Once those aircraft are on property at DCI with 20 year contracts, where is the poison pill?

What happens in 2015 if Delta parks mainline planes in 4Q 2012?

I don't think Comair will be around in 2015 Boomer...

The block hour ratio is the poison pill. The hard aircraft counts are a poison pill. If DAL parks aircraft, then DCI has to shrink block hours to maintain a 1.1-1.56 ratio depending on how many 76 seaters are on property at DCI.

Quick question:

Counting the total block hours DAL vs DCI including all the DC9s, 747-200's 757's and other aircraft that were parked after the merger, what would the ratio be? What was the ratio in the year 2000?

Those city pairs were just examples that come off the top of my head. I am sure there are many others. Like I said before, I don't care what the plan is that management says they plan to implement, I want to know absolutes. Optimism is fine, but there is no place for it here. This is our livelihood at stake. Oh, and isn't the DC-9 already a mainline aircraft? Why would I want to look at that to see routes that "may come to mainline"? Aren't the already here??

Well, upgaging is all relative isn't it. Since a bunch of that LGA flying is on 50 seaters, we are giving that to the 76 seaters... next.. That being said, I never thought the slot swap would be any boon to mainline, but any improvement there is good. It is going to take a long time to make it really fruitful for us though... especially with all those 76 seaters going to DCI..