NWA has the replacement in the Compass operation with the E-175's. The business plan NWA had in place pre merger is known to both merger committees. It is confidentional information and the average line pilot will not see it however it will be part of the arbitration process. The respective business plans were one of the hang ups in the failed attempt to get a list the first time.

I heard compass could only get 36 175's. More if nwa grew. I don't think those could replace all of the 9's. If what was told to me is correct.

Exactly. We have scope limiting the growth of compass and the retirements of the 9 therefore NWA would have eventually gotten a replacement. That replacement combined with the 787s would have made NWA one of the youngest fleets in the industry. For those who believe that NWA was a dying airline and should be arbitrated as such are off base.

The 175 is not a true replacement of a 9. Sure some DC9 routes have been taken over by 175's and also RJ900's, but Anyway you look at it a 110-125 seat airplane will ultimately be needed to fill the gap that will be formed with the departure of DC9's. No mater how you look at it both the 175's and 900's are still RJ's designed to fill a niche.

Interesting...I'm going through a training track right now and that's not what I'm hearing. Everything coming from the folks in training is the hiring will begin again in the fall, FWIW.

Exactly. 130-150 to start.

I am finishing up training on the ER now and they told us last month when we started that there were plans to start up hiring in late fall.

I don't think anyone is stating NWA is a dying airline. As I mentioned your long term business plan is known to both merger committees. By Dec 31 this year NWA will have retired 100 out of a total of 161 DC-9's without a replacement aircraft. If the NWA business plan includes replacing those 161 nines it will be brought out in the arbitration or as part of the process. My understanding however is that there was not a plan to replace the aircraft going forward. This was what led to the collapse of the first seniority list integration talks when Dalpa agreed to your concept for a dynamic seniority list. Once NWALPA's proposal was put on paper and properly modeled by DALPA the proposal was withdrawn since it was unfair and devasting to your junior pilots.

Not taking sides here, but if you think a 175 or 900 is a niche aircraft that won't replace mainline flying, you are somewhat naive. DALPA sold us on that idea when we approved the 76 seat RJs. Since then many mainline aircraft have been parked, with no replacement in sight. Now it's a regular occurance in ATL to see a 900 or 170 parked at a mainline gate in ATL, flying to a former mainline destination. I voted no on LOA 51 for just this reason, but really, it goes beyond even my worst fears. The CRJ 200 and 700 took a lot of marginal flying from the mainline. The 900 and 170/175 are taking away solid mainline cities. And yet the folks at ALPA still try and tell me the 76 seat RJs are no threat. Amazing.

I doubt the rumor of additional MD-90's will come to fruition.

I've heard that rumor for over two years. I've heard "It's a done deal", etc.

It seemed like it might happen when they qualified the CVG 88 crews on the -90, but still, no new airframes.

Supposedly, the aircraft themselves can be had very cheap. As I understand, it they were assembled in China and have very low hours on the airframes. I've also heard (via the same rumor mill) that DAL Maintenance folks inspected them and said "no".

Maybe RA is saying "make it happen", but I won't believe it until I see the aircraft.