I missed the first half hour and came in just before the network guy started. Everybody was cautiously upbeat overall. Nothing really new (including the cold pizza). About as many guys in civvies as in uniform, mostly from the 4th floor and CPO.

Domestic will grow slightly. B717 deliveries on schedule for August, in service for September. B737-900's enter service most likely in October. Some older 757's coming out and a lot of RJ's coming out. Frontier rumor debunked. Said that this management team evaluates just about everything (including Frontier) and that almost all the evaluations result in no action.

Europe will shrink a little more, with AF/KLM shrinking more than us. They pick up MSP-CDG for 3 months, we pick up 4 routes year round (2nd BOS, EWR, DTW and one other one I don't remember). Guy said they don't keep score by route but by capacity and financial performance. More hub flying, less secondary city flying. Going to focus CDG to be like AMS. Taking a few 7ER and making them "high density" for certain JFK and beach flying.

Pacific growing. SEA will be the Asia gateway and will grow some more. LAX will get more feed for international connect, but won't compete in domestic markets where we don't have an advantage (like LAX-IAH, DFW).

Latin growing. Constrained by Brazilian government.

Running 6 side by side mod lines for lie-flats and international configuration. 2014 first year with full widebody fleet in service. Widebody RFP in late 2013. 787-8 definitely not coming. Overweight, underranged, and underperforming. 787-9 is potentially better option but still not proven. Dickson went to Toulouse and flew A350 sim...really liked it if it lives up to promise. Anderson going next month. Likes the competition between manufacturers. Said Airbus incorporated lessons learned from A380 design into A350.

Crew Resources guy: DC-9 will stay until heavy maintenance due. Real problem staffing the airplane. Had to move a sim and can only train 2 crews per month. Flight ops would have preferred a/c parked to train pilots on other jets (MD-90 deliveries). ATL, MSP like 3 and 2 day trips, DTW and NYC like long trips (go figure). Trying to match flying to base desires. Still working with RCC to improve QOL.

I didn't take notes, so that's going from memory.

 

I can't watch either one. Version 1 has been removed, and version 2 won't load. Maybe the "FLY" button touched a nerve with somebody.

 

As someone who carries a cute and tiny rollaboard bag, I find the new video degrading and insulting.

 

I just now logged into DL Net to show the vid. to my wife, the "Fly Button" at the end is now GONE! It just fades away after Capt. Mustachio says his thing. That was quick!

My wife (a former DL F/A) thought the rest of the video was pretty lame, as far as comedy goes. She showed me this one she saw that is a little more 'cute', from Air New Zealand, Hobbit theme:

The Hobbit Air New Zealand An Unexpected Briefing #airnzhobbit - YouTube

 

I am beginning to wonder if there is a correlation between those who find this 'button thing' insulting and those to whom I am lying through my teeth when I say that flying with them for four days has been a pleasure.

Sometimes pilots take things too seriously. Life is short. Enjoy the ride.

WingLeveler

P.S. Before the haters start hatin', know that professionalism and humor are not, in fact, mutually exclusive concepts.

 

The MD88 guys get the red shirts!

 

I think if you are going to make a funny safety video, you need to make it REALLY funny, otherwise it just comes off as....lame. I actually thought the Fly button was the funniest part of the entire video, but you know how twisted I am.

The Hobbit one was ok, could have been a little funnier if they had a Fat Warlock Captain on board...

 

There better be a call in to Bastian, and more specifically, a follow-up on that call by Bastian. ALPA often misses opportunities to show that we are pilots, not lap-dogs. The inclusion of the button in the video is probably accidental, but it's still a slap in the face.

The opportunity to respond represents a low-threat, low-visibility, low-risk chance to validate that our relationship based on respect, not belly-rubs, without suggesting anything that would impact the public perception of our relationship. The upside: an easy, low-cost, low-visibility, low-risk opportunity for the union to show that we think of ourselves as professionals. It's an internal PR thing, and it's a simple matter: the slap in the face requires removal.

So the video must be cleaned up. To accept the "Fly" button on the heels of the memo about dress codes would be pathetic. Pay attention, union: little things can mean a lot. Don't miss this one.

 

I liked the FLY button too.
It didn't even occur to me that it might be offensive somehow.

 

My vote is on the Air NZ, the fly button could care less.