I wish people would learn to use the quote function properly. Good grief.

Sorry. I have a cold so I'm grumpy.

 

Delta dramatically increased the flying at the original Western bases. There was no stagnation after the merger. In fact there was extensive growth. Both LAX and SLC saw a huge increase in RSM's and a increase in flights. Both of those former Western Hubs are much larger even today then at the time of the merger.
Having said that I am somewhat amused or bewildered, not sure which about your comments that the original Delta pilots did it to the western pilots. Do you honestly think the pilots control where flights go?????

 

Sorry. My fat fingers and the android don't mix well.

 

I know. It's easy to mess it up. Like I said, my cold has me in a grumpy mood. Sorry.

 

In 1988, I was a BOS based 727 F/E, standing in the SLC pilot lounge, the day the Bid Award was posted, that put 40 767 slots into SLC. As I looked down the list, the top 20 767 possitions were all previous 727 Capts. and the next 20 were all 737 Capts. The Delta pay rate on the 767 was about DOUBLE what the former Western 737 pay rate was.

Yeah, the Western guys REALLY got screwed!

Western was mostly a 737 Airline, They had some 727's too, and 5 DC10's, replaced by Delta's L1011's on the west coast, oh, and then there were all the MD11's Delta put into LAX.

I just hope that some day, before I retire, somebody buys Delta, and Screws me like that!

You can have my date of hire, and my Seniority Number, just double my pay and put me into a brand new wide body, when I'm looking at retiring off a 737....

 

I totally stand corrected. I did not know that there was massive growth after the Western Merger, I guess I assumed it was like the most recent merger where some groups of the original Delta pilots just get more and more Jr in bases such as ATL, SLC and LAX. My bad. I received my info from the Capt's that I fly with that came out west after the Western merger and assumed mistakenly that it happened in the same way it is and has occurred over the last few years. Once again I made a statement with out facts. My bad

My only personnel Delta experiences are: furlough, merger, capacity reduction, and loss of seniority as pilots exercise there rights to move to bases that were not originally available to them.

However, I would not have been oppossed to huge increases in RSM's and flights following the merger. I just did not know it was actually could happen.

And one final note, all of the former NW Capt's I have flown with are very happy flying out of LAX and SLC. Every one of them saying he was looking at commuting for the rest of his career prior to the merger. I have only flown with one NW Capt based in ATL but he was happy also because be had been commuting from Chattanooga TN to DTW for something like 15 years. So its all good. And truthfully if original Delta guys have flooded into MSP and DTW then disregard everything I have said because with the exception of my personal info I actually have know idea that very well could be the case.

I will be quiet now.

 

586 are mandatory age 65 retirements in the next 4 years. So, you don't think ANY of the additional 2700 guys who will turn 60 between now and Dec-2016 will also retire, disable, or die?

 

Once again I stand totally corrected. I made the statement based on what has happened in our most recent merger. I also would gladly take a double in pay and advancement. But once again all I have known following a merger is continued decline in seniority in my base as we cut flight and pilots exercise there rights to move in to the base.

I apologize for the statement.

 

Unfortunately that is the only number I have and you have. Anything else is conjecture. I will say that the majority of pilots I fly with plan on staying as long as they can. I did fly with one Capt. 8 days ago that planned to go at 63 if he met his financial goals but he is only 54 now so I am not sure he counts.

I would never argue this point because I just don't have access to the data.

DALPA says:

the average age is 62 1/2

that we would be hiring in fall of 2012 short of economic melt down

that we will need 3000 pilots in next 3 years or something

that 300 would take early out

that plug and replace credit was ok because NW guys guys would retire and we would all move up as they replace them (750ish gone-no replacements in site)

So I actually have know idea what is true and would not pretend to.

 

Hey Galaxy III users out there!
I've got an Iphone 4S, and have been thinking about the GIII for it's bigger screen real-estate. How does it work with I-CrewMax, MicrosoftOutlook calendar/contacts/tasks/notes syncing, and commuting apps like NextFlight?
Battery power and actual phone sound quality/usability ?
Voice command ability (hopefully native and not sent out to some server like Siri!)

Thanks for any inputs!