Because we would have a massive drawdown in our transatlantic flying. It would also impact our domestic network as FFlyers shifted to airlines that offered a global reach. In the competitive environment we face it's very difficult to maintain many international routes unless they are fed from both ends.

 

What percent of 747 trips are 4 pilot?

 

Even if you could get past the near impossibility of how you would realistically transition to your longevity based pay system, it ignores what I think would be a devastating impact on jobs. Specifically, it would incentivize the company to buy larger aircraft since we would have taken pay based on revenue production out of the equation. Further, it would make our smaller aircraft relatively more expensive to operate thus putting more pressure on outsourcing the bottom end. These two points add a compounding effect to job destruction.

With our current system, we are seeing a reduction in large aircraft which means pilots will be displaced to lower paying positions. I get that. But it's requiring more jobs. If I had to choose between higher pay for fewer jobs, or slightly lower pay for many more jobs...I choose the latter.

Carl

 

I've made a half dozen PAs in the past few months. I hardly make them anymore. It is horrible sitting in the back and I don't want to add to their misery. Besides most of the As make the seat belt announcement and that suffices. They don't want to hear from us, they've got more technology back there then we do upfront to know where we are. Just are we on time?

I still am shocked over the two or three minute PA an 88 pilot gave during taxi out last year talking about how we are all tickeled pink that you are flying on Delta during beast cancer awareness month and then he began his lengthy canned PA. No idea how they got the taxi check or second engine started.

Or maybe they're one of those few who hangs out on the ramp after push to start both engines, set up the WDR then run the taxi check and checklist.

 

Man would I love to sit over dinner and debate this with you. We would need a 30 hour XNA layover for that.

Yes, it is better taken in a simplified way. But it's not nearly as good as it should be. Historically this is the worst recovery in the history of the US. The policies of the last 6 years have extended the downturn and slowed the recovery, much like FDR's did in the 30s. Just compare 1982 and the ensuing 6 years to 2008 and today.

The end of 2008 is a whole 'nuther debate. That might take a 48hr JAN.

 

February 15, 2008

John McCain and the pilots

Sen. John McCain may have the Republican party nomination wrapped up, but he still has some convincing to do with one group of traditionally Republican voters. No, I'm not talking about evangelical Christians - I'm talking about commercial airline pilots.
McCain co-sponsored legislation in 2003 that would have changed the Railway Labor Act to include mandatory "baseball-style" arbitration in airline contract negotiations. That's a method whereby a mediator makes the final decision on disputed issues, and there is no appeal. Unions have long opposed any attempts to force that type of arbitration, because it removes their greatest form of leverage - the ability to strike.
McCain's 2003 effort failed, but lots of pilots still remember it. One told me recently that he will never vote for the Arizona senator, and he believes many of his colleagues feel the same way.
"Look, most pilots are ex-military, they're professionals, most of them vote Republican and have all their lives," the pilot said. "But when it comes to McCain, most of us all remember how he backed airline management and tried to screw the pilots. That's going to cost him some votes."
- Trebor

 

This, this, this!

I know it's difficult to believe, because we all want to believe our national union actually wants the best for us. They want what's best for ALPA and that lays directly at the feet of Mr. Moak. Right now everyone assumes Delta will vote unanimously for Moak again. Let your reps know that you don't support Moak if that's what you think. We'll have plenty of reps that will vote for Moak regardless. We need more reps to stand up against the little dictator.

Carl

 

Rino extraordinaire .

 

75% of the pilots (and yes I made up that number, but I can guarantee you that it is a large one) don't care about the day to day stuff that goes on at DAL and especially here on these forums. They just don't. They come to work, do the job, and go home. Our contract, contrary to what some like to say, is not onerous. We are not mistreated, and compared to most of the country we are very well paid. That's it.

And as far as Tarrantion goes, even a blind squirrel....

 

No, more. The pilots do their's and then there are stupid automated videos that come on the TVs every time the seat belt light is turned on. Plus, all the normal FA ground PAs are automated videos. Frankly, I'm not sure what AA's FAs do. No PAs and no service (in coach at least).