Yep - NW used to have a BOS base - guess where those guys are commuting to now? DTW - it's a lot easier to commute to JFK, where they can fly the ER and make more money.

Shoot - I talked to a DC9 Captain (who I think wasn't really senior) who has the seniority to hold 70% as Captain on the ER in NYC. He lives 40 minutes from DTW and was asking about how the commute to JFK was - he's thinking about bidding over to it when he can.

I really think there is going to be a migration out of DTW/MSP to the bases on the coasts (NYC, ATL and LAX). Many of the NWA guys are commuting long distances to fly smaller/lower paid airplanes than they can fly in the combined airplane. Even though NWA touted their "Premium Widebody aircraft" in the SLI, they really are a majority DC9/Airbus fleet.

 

Could someone help me understand GS and vacation.

I was on reserve from 11/1 till 11/14 and flew one 3 day trip. I have vacation from 11/15 till 11/21 and the rest of the month off. If I put in a GS during my days off and got used, I would get paid my reserve guarentee (about 52 hrs) + vacation (18 hrs) + what ever I pick up. I just can not GS on my vacation, it has to be my days off. Right?

Thanks.

 

Correct. It has to be on off days and not VAC days.

 

The 747-400 is a really tough airplane to make money with in a down economy. It can mint money in an up economy. It is substantially more expensive to operate than a 777. The oldest 747-400 Delta operates is 20 years old and its cabin isn't competitive with those of other major network airlines, so it loses brand preference if all else is equal. Bastian indicated in his "chat" last week that they're going to the Board to update the interiors. Putting 777 lie-flat seats in the aircraft will cost it about 7-10% of its capacity (360-370 range), and that investment will only work if pax are willing to pay the freight and fuel prices stay reasonable. If either the economic projections go south or fuel prices go north, all 16 of those aircraft are leased and could leave the fleet fairly quickly. If the economy recovers, I'm sure that marketing will wish they had more.

The 777-300 will seat about 315 with 56 lie flat seats. For every 8 lie flat reduced, the coach count goes up 18 or so.

 

The way I hear it from the pilot side is that DAL-N has a Call in Honest Policy and DAL-S has a Call in Stupid Policy.

Maybe we need to bump up the cap numbers on sick leave by about 100% instead of having the DAL-N Call in Honest program.

Supposedly its a "me too" issue, even though its apparently not in writing in other contracts?
They don't want to give this to the pilots without giving it to the other employee groups (F/A) and can't figure out how to do it without ****ing off other groups.

If you have any contacts, here is a suggestion you can give them.

Write the policy to state that Call in Honest will apply if it would, without utilizing a reserve, drop the crew below the minimum legal staffing required for the flight. Not sure if there is a specific minimum for cabin crew above and beyond FARs at DAL-S. Just an idea...

 

Denny,
You beat me to it. I had the same flight the last week in October. "No soup for you!"

Scoop - As usual, a day late and a dollar short in the discussion.

 

Out of curiosity on this.... isn't it contractual that we get fed on a flight that is blocked greater than 5+30?

And, without setting off to much militance, should we even be pushing on a flight that long without knowing that we're getting fed?

 

The following is straight from the contract:

C. Crew Meals
A pilot will be scheduled to receive the same main course meal(s) provided to the highest
class of passenger service in the following operations:
1. an international operation involving an ocean crossing,
2. an operation scheduled for over five hours and thirty minutes block-to-block, and
3. an operation comprising a roundtrip to or from an airport, or between airports, outside the
contiguous 48 states of the United States in a single duty period.

Note: A pilot will only be provided such meal on one of the two flight segments.


Notice the first line..........

Denny

 

It still looks like you should have a received a meal...it does not specify the segment you are on, but rather the type of meal that is specified in line 1-3, if you meet those qualifications.

 

I know a lot of CA when he/she does the FA brief to make sure our crew meals are on board. Since now the company keeps reducing the number of food for sale items, or remove food all together on trans-con, it's even more important to be well fed on any longer flights.

No meals, no-go.