The TA will outsource over 30,000 more seats than our current scope. The ONLY case you can make to say this TA reduces seats is if you assume RA was lying when he said the 50 seat RJ's burn far too much fuel, and the passengers overwhelmingly disapprove of them.

Carl

I completely agree with you. The Block Hour Ratios significantly shift flying back to mainline.


I think I see where you're going here. Let's show how tough we are! . . . Then what?

With what leverage? Our current scope is SO weak that Delta can operate UNLIMITED 50 seaters off our list and there is nothing we can do about it. The TA sets a hard cap of 125 50 seaters by the end of the agreement.

Not true. Why would Skywest, ASA/ExpressJet, etc just let Delta pull the rug out from under them? It is the regional carriers that Delta has signed these long term deals with. Delta has to convince them somehow to let them out of their 50 seater contracts. What's their carrot?

We have nothing in our current scope section to keep them from renewing RJ leases as time goes on. 2025 will just keep getting pushed down the road.

See my response to your #1. We have an option to shift flying back to mainline. It's not a full recapture, but it brings a whole lotta flying back to mainline, and more importantly establishes a HARD FLOOR for how much of our work Delta can outsource - something we've never had before.

I'm tearing up.....beauty Clark.

No it won't Carl. Do your math again.

That is so disingenuous that it's nearly PURE BS. LEC resolutions have asked for this study many times and you unelected MEC bureaucrats have steadfastly refused.

Furthermore, negotiations is NOT about making us cost competitive with some bottom feeding regional. Negotiations is about first wanting something as the objective, then spending capital as necessary to make it happen. Unbelievable.

The FACT is that your MEC and sadly, MEC's before you DO NOT WANT this flying at mainline for whatever sick and twisted reason. Moak used to say that kind of flying was beneath the mainline pilot. I'm afraid that arrogant legacy lives on.

Carl

Delta already has all that, and it's in place and running today (except the AE, that is).

Unfortunately the pilots are on a separate list.

They will on the way up...but are legally unenforceable on the way down. If/when mainline flying drops, we (DALPA) will be in no legal position to demand this worthless language of forcing RJ airlines to reduce their block hours be enforced. The company flat won't do it, and tell us to grieve it later. The affected RJ airline certainly won't do it voluntarily, and would sue ALPA on a DFR if forced. That's the sad reality.

Carl

Things are moving so fast, I almost missed this.

So, are you saying we could have had inroads into 70 seat flying, but someone determined the pay wasn't enough and mainline expenses were too high?

I wish they had sent that out in the TA. (Not trying to be flip. Seriously.)

That has nothing to do with negotiations. Negotiations are about knowing the process, and using it to your maximum advantage. Our MEC is saying YES to the very first offer before real section 6 negotiations even begins. How can you not see the problem there?

Do you not remember our MEC chairman begging us to give them a chance to show us all what a great job they can do with the first Section 6 negotiations that has occured on the property in over a decade? Is this it? Running from the table before Section 6 even begins and waving a victory flag?

Carl

The math largely depends on the timeframe.

Yes, the TA will reduce DCI seats for the short term (as 50s are parked early and 90s added). Looking long term, however, going from 255 to 325 large RJs will mean more DCI seats, since the 50s are being pulled down under either scenario.

The company is already thinking two moves ahead in this game, so perhaps you need to consider how many seats will be at DCI when you need to negotiate again?

You can call it the time value of seats.