One way to solve that...buy Alaska! Until then, just accept the fact that Ma DAL wants the free feed more than flying the routes.

 

What's the bigger concern here though; an attorney having or not having a license? Or an attorney, with or without a license, having a significant conflict of interest that may go against an individual pilot or even against an entire MEC in favor of the supposedly "greater good"? What if that pilot is you, and/or that MEC is yours?

I think we can all smell smoke on that one, even if we shut up and keep watching the movie for fear of inciting a panic, it doesn't mean everything is fine. This is a huge issue of potential and actual fundamental conflict of interests with some examples of it playing out right in front of us. We have to perpetually shine daylight on something like this, regardless of the brand name of our representational structure.

I don't care how many licenses an ALPA attorney has or doesn't have nearly as much as I care about his/her duty to represent our pilot group (and individual line pilots as the case may be) first. If they can't do that, well, we at least need to know that before we can determine what we want to do about it, if anything.

 

Every airline wants free feed.

It's up to our scope clause to stop it and/or the other airline to irritate the outsource-er.

 

There's other ways to solve that, both from a company perspective anytime and a DALPA perspective during negotiations. We're starting to (maybe) see both play out, but we have a lot more work to be done as the status quo is still off balance to say the least.

 

Speaking of that, if we keep up the cautiously optimistic trend of "doing Alaska flying" and keep growing it, can they farm out their existing flying to us within the code share? Their scope from what people say is a good bit weaker than ours. Maybe we can use this nifty arrangement to make their route map the wrong color for a change?

 

Some thoughts that support the used 747 rumor.

1. An established pattern of Delta buying used airplanes that are no longer in vogue pennies on the dollar. (SWA owning airplanes the past few decades is one thing that gave them a leg up on the competition). Low or no monthly payments is a good thing in the airline business.
2. Delta management has touted the benefits of having low cost iron on the property. This allows:

a. Flexibility to quickly adjust to market conditions and route opportunities. You can park the planes with no real penalty (other than paying the aliens for ramp space in Roswell) when the economy declines and dust them off to ramp up when needed.
b. Having low acquisition cost airplanes allows for more spares ready in wait to clean things up after the shoot hits the fan. The 747 is large enough to do a lot of clean up after storms where the new MO is cancel a ton of flights in advance then shift into high gear to get people on their way. The 747 can step in to a given route where say 5 flights to that destination have been cancelled. Get all the backed up pax to that destination on one airplane is a good thing.
c. Extra 747's allows the ability to pick up more charter work (which the company has been upbeat on lately) on short notice without disrupting other routes.
d. The comparatively low operating cost if you fill em up.
e. Should the company decide to reverse the "there is no money in cargo even though Fedex/UPS are minting money" the 747 purchased at a low cost can fill this need. Asia (specifically China) could produce some great opportunities in freight as Delta looks to expand into this part of the world.
f. When Delta decided to spend the money on the lie flat seats and upgrade the current 747 fleet they committed to at least another decade of 747 use at Delta Air Lines. Adding more numbers to any existing fleet typically brings cost down.

777-300's will do a nice job and these I am sure will come to Delta as well but for pennies on the dollar the 747-400 could fill a lot of gaps for a relatively low acquisition cost.

Food for thought whether it happens or not.

 

According to the recent lounge meeting in LA, looks like we're taking some back.

 

Good race, I thought DE and DP would team up for the pass to win. Anyways, Danica did great.

 

Not sure if this was mentioned yet but a new daily flight (mainline) added the end of this year out of LAX. Info from A.net

Look like it got uploaded into the schedules last night. DL begins daily service between LAX and Costa Rica beginning Dec 19, 2013. Return flight begins Dec 20, 2013.

DL465 - Boeing 757
Dp LAX 10:15pm
Ar SJO 5:55am +1

DL 466 - Boeing 757
Dp SJO 7:10am
Ar LAX 11:30am

Source: ITA schedule search

Another interesting add for DL's LAX operation.

 

Sheriff Bart Must Be Reading Our Minds....