Not according to the contract:

“Block time” means the time beginning when an aircraft first moves for the purpose of

Note the absence of the qualifier of movement "under its own power."

 

Best. Post. Of. The. Day.

Dear Lord FTB, please listen to TYG!!

 

The total number of allowed 76 seat jets was reduced in contract 2012.

 

 

OK aircraft ID fans. Have at it.

 

The one on top is a Twin Otter.

 

Technically, yes, but not universally. As it was, we were frozen at 153, with no way to increase without trading in an equal number of 70-seaters AND increasing mainline airframes above a certain number. Now, Delta can add 76-seaters simply by buying 717's (which they arguably might have done anyway) without having to trade in 70-seaters.

That said, there was a way to get to 255 76-seaters under the old contract, and now Delta is limited to a maximum of 223.

 

Now let's envision not doing C12....

If Delta were to get the 717's "anyway" like some have said on this board....

... and Delta took delivery of the 737-900's on schedule

... but Delta delayed retiring aircraft (757's) until 2015 after the 717's came

... seems to me like it would be pretty easy for Delta to trigger the number of mainline jets to get to 255 under the old contract.

... and then Delta could have parked as many mainline planes as they wanted because there would not have been a block hour ratio.

223 was a win. 450 is a win. But the block hour ratio is the biggest win.

 

Alan is MORE CORRECT here than sailing. And please note... there was a WAY, but it was a very very costly way. Now it's less costly to get to a higher number of 76 seats than it would have been before.

sailing hits this bogus point over and over, and no one on this forum is unaware of exactly how the tradeoff worked, and what we gave up in that trade. No matter how many times you try to make it sound like it was a good deal, you're not going to convince us...

FlyingSig, I think "223 was not as much of a loss as we could have had" is more accurate. 223 AND no increase in 76 seat jets, thus extending the viability of DCI/RJ model, would have been a "win". IMO, that increase in allowed 76 seaters without having to trade in 70 seaters to get them was the single worst part of the new contract. A great deal of the rest of it was quite decent... this one item caused my "no" vote.

 

Right on for buzz, that is a Twotter. jk

Seriously though, it's has to be a pressurized plane, that photo was clearly taken at FL 290 (I know FL290 when I see it, because I fly that high with the 739 all the time)


The second from the top is clearly a Russian jet.
I'm sure it's the new Sukhoi T-50.

But why is it being escorted by an F4, an F14 and two F16s?


Cheers
George