Negotiators and union Guys take note. We need a strong contract to enforce our flying. We need less loopholes not bigger ones.

I would think they would wait till oil spikes to $150 / barrel some day to make this "smart" move. At $60/ barrel the '88's gotta look cheap to operate, especially when you were planning on oil at $100+

In my opinion it usually results in more money for less days of work. I'll try to explain. Vacation reduces the available days for sitting short call and guarantee is pro rated. Training doesn't reduce days available, but counts as days you would be sitting reserve (you are working on the training days no matter what you bid). Vacation and/or training pay is added to the pro rated pay. Here's some examples using the calculator:
Example 1:
Assumptions: January, 30 day month, ALV 72:00, No extra day off due to coverage, 7 days vacation.
Results: 23 days availability, 10 X days, 13 on call days, Pay 77:57
In other words 77:57 pay for being on call 13 days.

Example 2:
Assumptions: January, 30 day month, ALV 72:00, No extra day off due to coverage, 3 days CQ Training.
Results: 30 days availability (CQ not deducted), 13 X days, 14 on call days, Pay 76:03.

Example 3:
Assumptions: January, 30 day month, ALV 72:00, No extra day off due to coverage, 3 days CQ Training and 7 days vacation.
Results: 23 days availability, 10 x days, 10 on call days, Pay 82:00

The results will vary depending on the ALV, and the days available will vary with a 30 or 31 day month. You need to decide if you want to work fewer days for a little more money or work a line schedule and try to make more in the remaining days of the month after vacation and/or training. I have always come down on the pay above guarantee for being on call for fewer days. If anyone reading this post is senior to me, stick with bidding a line. You'll make mo money!:D

Dump as in replace? Or dump as in reduce hulls/capacity?

Fwiw it aims for the largest number then backwards if it can't give you what you want. Trivia, if the slide can be awarded to the max days but it can't build you a line then PBS will go back and move the slide a day and try again.

Might be using that to generate leverage for a deal on Pagasus boxes, now that the flat panel project is dead.

There are no other off-the -shelf options (that I'm aware of) and the threat to park 88s may be his only negotiating play.

Or he's prepping for C15...we need to cut X to keep them...kinda like the Great 717 Bamboozle of C12.

And here is the question of the day, what is our ratio now? :mad:

He does negotiate airplanes in public it seems and you are probably right. Those things have to be dirt cheap to operate with AA dumping them and oil headed to $50bb.

The 88 is the most profitable narrow body (not sure if the 757-300 counts as a narrowbody for that or not) and its by a nice margin. Even $150 oil wouldn't wreck the 88's numbers much. Its not that much less efficient. 10% or so compared to the average 150ish seat narrowbody but you're not paying the note on a $60=100+ million dollar plane with full coverage insurance either.

They're getting an aero kit that will make them about 3% more efficient, and whatever GPS solution they get will probably add the equivalent of another percent bringing it in line with modern nav.

Paid for. Reliable. Not really that much less efficient. Highly profitable and (believe it or not) highest customer feedback scores (fewest middle seat ratio).

Plus they're Boeings now too. ;)

Go gloopy go!
I have been surprised by the lack of promotion Delta has given Delta studio( which I use all the time and works great), as it solves any entertainment concern on the 88/90 even though the flights are often too short to even finish a movie.