Many years ago I was at a base meeting where the head of crew resources was speaking about the low hours reserves actually flew, vs. the 70hrs. they were being paid. He said he would like to see EVERY reserve flying at least 70/mo..."That's what we pay them!"

So I raised my hand and asked, "If you staff the airline so that every reserve is already flying 70 hours, every month, just to cover the regular schedule, what are you going to do when the weather gets bad and now you NEED reserves?"

He said, "That's what Green Slips and assignements are for."

So, there you go. I don't see them hiring until every reserve is flying the monthly max and they have trouble finding enough guys willing to answer the phone on their off days.

 

Hey guys, I've got to be in Prague next week for two days. I've never been there and the schedule will be busy, but where's the best place to eat and/or drink beer?

Carl

 

File an extension. Turbotax takes about 2 seconds and you print and mail it. Gives you until Oct 15th.

 

That works real well if you think you are getting money back. If you think you owe and underpay you'll pay penalties, so you have to have done most of the work unless you just want to loan the IRS money until you figure out the exact amount.

 

I think all the things you mentioned are options they will use if it comes to that. Its too late for this summer now. If it gets too lean they will simply leave block hours/revenue on the table. Period. And it looks like that could be a real possibility. They would rather lose potential revenue than put additional bodies (hiring) on the cost side of the ledger for the FY.

Even with the generous peak leveling relief we gave them in the recent contract, I'm just not seeing how things will be covered in many categories, even with lots of green slips. Even before guys go to 717 training (and other categories to be converted in May through August) some of the categories that are being used to "fund" the "electric-9" are bottoming out in March and April.

Also keep in mind that, despite the talk, DL is still a shrinking airline. Even if the 717 changes that WRT DL seniority list block hours, the network shows no signs of leveling off or growing. The shrinkage is minor, but its shrinkage nonetheless. And the 717/growth 737's won't be here til long after summer, and we still have a ton of 320's/757's/DC-9's to start parking as soon as they start getting here.

Flt Ops wanted to hire, but the bean counters said no. Its too late now regardless for the peak summer schedule. To borrow a phrase, we will go to war with the army we have. If the Euro and/or Dollar don't implode before 2014, we will then start the process of ramping up hiring. Hope to see you here though!

 

Everywhere Carl! You can't go wrong. Awesome beer, food and eye candy.

 

I remember reading about hiring in 2012 somewhere.

 

Right now in many categories, reserve issues are on the weekends. Weekday coverage seems quite sufficient.

But I'm confident that the company will "constructively engage" ALPA, and weekend "reserves required" will be increased significantly. After all, "it's good for us," and "we'll get them next time."

 

Some of the B's are out via the backdoor.

Like it or hate it, the new reserve system has opened up options wayyy down the category lists.

ATLDC9B has 2 guys bidding rsv on page 1. On the other end of the list, #3 from the bottom of the category is a REG pilot - good for him if he's a commuter, or doesn't want to get punished on reserve.

While some argue that the bucket system slants too far in favor of guys "taking a month" off, an unexpected consequence (at least to me) is that guys further down the category are able to hold a line than they have in the past. It's just a different way of distributing the goodies among the group.

That said, junior reserve will SUCK in a short category over the summer, especially if you can't hold weekends off.

 

If you want to taste some of that candy, it can be rented!