As a FNG on the outside looking in, it seems like the former union drivel served its purpose. DALPA seems to be a lot more responsive than it was, and more attentive to the concerns that the active junior guys like yourself were raising. More reform-minded folks have been elected to the LECs, and that seems to have played a pivotal role in how the recent chairman recall/election ultimately played out. I think most agree the tone that the new Chairman has set was exactly what many DPA supporters were looking for from DALPA all along.

Mind you, it's good to keep the pressure on ALPA to make sure that the change is real, meaningful, & continuous. But those unwilling to recognize progress when it happens aren't going to be taken credibly.

So far as the 330 bid, do I decent a note of competition with our mutual friend? ;) Who knew that USAir was the career move to beat! :D

Totally right. I've been happy with the trend vector within DALPA as of the past year and change. Things are getting better.

Haha, I'm def a bit jelly about our mutual friend's award, however the 330 has been a primary target since the moment after the merger was announced! I do not envy the seniority war that is about to go down over there.

Hoping ya get here quick. Denny Crane and I are headed to dinner here shortly, looking forward to you coming along.

Ferd

PS What are you doing up so late young man!:D

With regard to the AE results Feb 4th, I can't believe the incredible amount of awards to the ER.

In the next 18 months we are parking 80 ER aircraft and the 757-200 will be down to 74 airframes.

IMO unless there is a major buyout, 100% of the ER awardees will be displaced by Sept 2015.

The training required will be massive.

Congrats Jungle....Welcome Aboard!

I thought I heard 10 of those might possibly stick around if the company can secure some lingering charter contracts.

Either way, I'd imagine aircraft retirements are a moving target. The dc9 hung out much longer than anticipated and I imagine the 757s might be similar. Who knows though.

i could see it as a philosophy change, in that being over staffed trumps cancelling ER flights because you were understaffed. Maybe big picture guys > bean counter types.

Your numbers are a bit off. We have somewhere around 138 757's actually flying today. That leaves about 63 airframes to be parked. They will be parked over the next 3 years not 18 months. 9 to 12 domestic 767's will also be parked. During that at period we will take delivery of roughly 200 airframes. If we don't have a economic meltdown there will be very few displacements. If we were parking them in the next 18 months there would be no hiring going on.

The numbers have changed, as they always dO. It was stated 90 was the latest number staying and it would be 3 years to park the retiring 7er aircraft. There is also the possibility that the NBA charter will move to the 757 and up to 15 more airplanes will be kept for year round charter flying for NBA, NHL, and MLB.

When asked about having people return to the 7er only to be displaced our VP of flight ops said with the number of arriving new a/c most displacements would be avoided by people bidding off to new aircraft.

Take it for what it is worth, the plan will change again tomorrow.