johnso29

Crew Planning news out. Updated 2013 Block hour plan this month. Next AE in Feb or Mar. ATL 717 & DTW 73N to open.

gloopy

Exactly. Maybe the 717 shift from the 50 seaters will rebolster our ranks to some degree, and great if it happens. But I'm confident the company is still looking to mine more productivity from us in a number of ways. Heck if they simplified a few fleet types that would reduce many hundreds of pilot positions. A work rule change here or there, another couple hundred. Shifting ER flying as those are parked for much larger planes will save many, many hundreds of pilot positions. And if they can find a net loss of pilot positions in the new FTDT regs as some have suggested, there goes some more. Then there's the 88 fleet, which can begin to be replaced pretty quickly. But with what? Much larger 737-900's or A321 NEOs? Hundreds less pilots once again. Especially with continued "capacity dicipline" but even without it.

Even with the 717's we could shrink a thousand or more over the next 10 years. Easy.

johnso29

The really important question is who started the rumor? Just because one hears it a lot, doesn't mean it has any teeth. I heard all sorts of rumors at the MSP training center, of which zero came true.

Professor

First off, we have been in the worst financial crisis the world has seen since the Great Depression, since the merger. European traffic has jumped the 'leisure cliff'. Despite all this we are making money hand over fist. Now w regards to the other paranoid delusions:

Not to inject reality or facts into your sky is a fallin' party, but...

The 90 has 2 fewer seats than the -900. Two. Not twenty. Two.

The 717's are not a parity fleet. They are truly a 100 seater. They will take over markets previously served by 'large' RJ's

Efficiency gains are not possible given the overall age of our pilot group, plus the percentage of Flag flying we do.

Just drink some nice tea, maybe get a massage, this will all look really great in about nine months.

kiteflyer

HEY COOLAID YES MEN and WOMEN

DELTA DOESN'T WANT TO HIRE PILOTS.

Remember that the next time you rationalize your mind around the "issues" of the day.

This place is going to be GREAT for the next few years.

I hope you all enjoy reading about the hundreds of millions momma D just spent buying airplanes for someone else to fly. At the very least it should give you some excitement while you contemplate your next displacement from the March AE.

johnso29

BLAH!!!!!!!!!

Thrust Normal

New jet order is out.

Delta orders up to 70 Bombardier regional jets

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- Delta Air Lines is ordering up to 70 regional jets from Bombardier as part of a major shift in the planes it uses for hauling passengers around the U.S.
Delta announced a firm order for 40 of the CRJ900 planes on Thursday, and options for 30 more. The deal would be worth $3.29 billion at list prices if Delta exercises the options, although discounts on such a big order are common.
The new planes are part of Delta's shift toward larger jets. They'll have 76 seats, making them smaller than Delta's mainline planes but larger than other regional jets. The new planes also have first-class sections, allowing Delta to sell more seats at higher prices.
They'll replace 50-seat jets currently flown on Delta's behalf by regional airlines. Those 50-seaters have become unprofitable at higher fuel prices, and none of Delta's 50-seaters have first-class sections.
Like other regional jets, the new planes will be flown by a regional partner on Delta's behalf. The first of the new planes begin arriving late next year.
Delta is moving away from 50-seat and smaller regional jets. The airline has said it believes passengers prefer larger planes, especially on longer flights. In June, Delta pilots approved a new union contract that allows it to expand flying by large regional jets in exchange for phasing out more 50-seaters.
Delta already has 101 CRJ-900s flown by Pinnacle Airlines Corp., SkyWest Inc. and SkyWest's ExpressJet unit. Those same airlines also fly the 50-seat CRJ-200s that Delta is in effect trading in to Bombardier for the new planes.
Delta spokesman Anthony Black said it isn't known yet which regional airline will fly the new planes, or which ones will be losing the 50-seaters. Delta will still have 226 of those CRJ-200s, even after it sends 60 back to Bombardier.
Delta also has another 154 larger regional jets that have first-class seats.
Delta said this fall that it was looking for 76-seat regional jets. It's a big win for Montreal-based Bombardier, whose small-jet regional jet business has been in the doldrums as other airlines also shift away from 50-seaters.
Shares of Atlana-based Delta Air Lines Inc. rose 27 cents, or 2.7 percent, to $9.98 in afternoon trading.

get there itis

The 737-900 will be 180 seats; The MD90 has 160 seats; The MD88 has 149 seats.

Professor

Where is that published? AK config for all 900's is 172. I'd be surprised if ours add 8. But possible.
If so, I stand corrected.

johnso29

Here's the Delta press release. It says 180 seats. FWIW.

Delta Announces Order for 100 Boeing 737-900ER Aircraft - Aug 25, 2011