Finally, I know the big question out there on the line as you hear about mainline growth is how that will impact our pilot staffing and whether it will jumpstart pilot hiring. It’s been no secret that we are looking at a wave of pilot retirements over the next few years as pilots begin to approach age 65. Because of that, our pilot hiring group has remained active since we stopped our last round of hiring in 2010, and we are prepared to start the hiring process on short notice. While our hiring is ultimately based on the Network block hour plan, which in turn is affected by the economy, all indications are that the addition of 717s and the opportunity for pilots to take advantage of the Pilot Retirement Medical Account (RMA) early retirement option will accelerate movement across the seniority list and require us to begin hiring earlier than the planned pilot retirements alone would have. If Delta can continue to execute its business plan, including the 717s, and barring an economic downturn or other unanticipated event, we could begin the hiring process as early as the last quarter of this year.

 

has there been an economic downturn since June?

 

Actually I give them credit for that. We have to have a plan B for a lot of things, especially that.

 

Well said!

 

Well, see, there's the thing nobody wants to talk about. Of course there hasn't, but it's just too easy to point to the economy and completely ignore the staffing givebacks we gave away with a yes vote.

Since the vote, the economy hasn't changed, and network's grand plans haven't changed. The only thing that has changed is how much we are willing to let our system accumulators (reserves) flex up in the summer months. Since we, as a group, saw fit to provide relief in the only area the company ever feels pinched for staffing, we have nobody to blame but ourselves for the delay in hiring.

Then again, it's much easier to blame the economy for delayed hiring than it is to admit to trading hiring and movement for a small pay bump and two years of COLA.....

 

There's no money in Boston.

 

There's no money in cargo, LA, SEA, DFW, either.

 

We have a winner.

 

NO MONEY IN...

1. CARGO
2. BOS
3. LAX
4. SEA
5. DFW
6. Growth
7. ...

the list looks incomplete.

 

7. Boomer's retirement account