I listened to them all. The investors had serious questions about how Delta could afford this contract. The answer was they will generate additional revenue to cover the cost with the fleet changes. The cash paid to put Delta pilots in the cockpit will increase just the first year from 2.2 billion to 2.6 billion.

How? When we allow other pilot groups to do deals with our management for Delta flying and our former Chair / President works out his own scope deals via the grievance process and our NC does deals without guidance? Sad to say, but I see nearly no indication that the Delta MEC is engaged in anything other than providing local services. Strategic planning? For what? Moak does whatever he pleases. We read about the result of ALPA negotiations with Delta Management in the news or other airlines' web boards. Then we gripe and moan at our Reps for something they did not know about and had no part in.

Don't get me wrong. I very much appreciate the hard work of our Reps. Individually our Reps are terrific to a man. But collectively they can't even deal with the fact that they've been locked out of the room, marginalized and become irrelevant to the representation of Delta pilots as a body.

Without our MEC acting to correct national's power grab we might as well not even have a MEC. On the tough issues which are specific to Delta pilots WE HAVE BEEN PURPOSELY SILENT. Our MEC has got to find it's representational willpower and take on the subversion of our union's democratic process. The number one strategic issue facing our union right now is the inability of our MEC to do it's job as a political body.

I commend you individually for standing up and encourage others to do so. We members of our union need Representatives who assert the best interests of the Delta pilots without concern for majorities or the self serving opinions of professional admin. Union work is difficult when there are shots fired across the horseshoe. Often the toughest work is most rewarding.

Until we take control of our union, a strategic planning meeting has little ability to change the trajectory of anything.

An open letter condemning the authorization of other pilot groups to do deals with management without the knowledge and consent of Delta pilots with the promise to initiate a recall if such a gross abrogation of the Delta MEC's autonomy is ever repeated is a start. Who cares if the resolution does not pass (better if it did of course). Even a failing resolution would identify where our Reps stand individually and individually action could be taken to correct the problem that renders our MEC ineffective.

I just put a contract on a house in Minnesota. I expect to hear about the closure of the MSP pilot base anytime now.

Sailing,

As the maxim goes, "a dollar saved is a dollar earned." The revenue enhancement was derived in large part from more efficient and productive Next Gen Regional Jets, as well as our re-engined DC9. Replacement of a 50 seat RJ with a 76 seater is at least 52% more revenue at 15% greater cost. There were specific mentions of increased pilot productivity too. Forgot the charger and the battery is dying but maybe I can find the transcripts for easy reference.

My tin foil hat theory is that Pinnacle's reset of the race to the bottom was figured in too, rather than being a happy accident of "oh lookie, we just got a concessionary labor deal on RJ flying and what do you know, we already had the airplanes on order."

The tin foil hat theory is the only explanation that makes sense why the Delta MEC's senior admin (both admins) were so quick to state unilaterally "nothing to see here ...."

MSP is wonderful and I encourage anyone in Atlanta, or considering Atlanta, to take the wife to visit the Mall of America from now until about September. The grass is green and the streets are clean. Where Atlanta has the hip pop music industry, MSP has friendly insurance companies. Forget College Park, they got no College and no Park. Peachtree City, hardly, no Peach Trees to be found, just tons of that annoying Bermuda grass that has to be mowed four times a week from March through Christmas ... and Fulton County is going to expand and incorporate all of us to pay for Grady and MARTA. Save yourself, move to Minnie (and I don't mean where that androgynous mouse Mickey lives)

Well, if it will stick to a 747 at the speeds you operate ...

https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/i...fFQ-w4VhVREH1c

Well, it IS a business after all.

That's funny Bar! As long as Fulton Co stays away from Forsyth Co I'm fine! You Southside boys can have Fulton

FTB Quote:


"I know all of that seems obvious but here is my point, Herb fell in love with his SWA employees and brought his customers along. We’re falling in love with our customers and bringing our employees along. And that's why we feel like and probably are just one of many equal parts of a conglomeration of entities."

This may be one of the best quotes regarding airline management I've ever heard. You should send this directly to Richard Anderson. I actually think he'd get it.

Reserve Yellow Slip question. I put in a yellow slip for a 2 day trip and was assigned a non yellow slip trip. The trip I tried to yellow slip was awarded as a yellow slip to a junior reserve pilot. Both pilots coming from days off. Both pilots days of availability exceed the trip length. Both pilots awarded a two day trip. The only difference is the yellow slip went to a higher raw score. Does this sound right?