I wonder why they don't put them on the origional AE. Awards are like trying to pull out a hanger out of a box of hangers........one will always pull out others.

I guess the prevailing idea is that it's better to retrain 5000+ pilots rather than 7000+ pilots plus the planners. My opinion doesn't mean much though. I just do my job and then go home. Don't really care how the brainiacs do things, that's above my paygrade. I worked as a crew planner for another airline while on furlough, and it's pretty much using a WAG sometimes.

Thanks. Don't remember that one. I have to say it really seems like they're trying to sharp shoot this one for some reason. I think I have to agree with Ferd that our system is pretty painful. Hopefully when this thing gets rolling they take the best of both systems but things that make pilots lives better probably won't be anywhere near the top of their to do list unless we force it to be. We'll have leverage again in this process and I hope we use it all and use it wisely.

not always. Say you post 20 777A vacancies, and all the pilots who bid it come out of the 767A category. You would think there would now be 20 vacancies in the 767A category, but what if they were planning on shrinking that category by 15 pilots? Well, then you would only backfill for 5 positions in that category.

The decision to backfill (what the contract calls a contingency vacancy) depends on the planned staffing. You can get a good idea of what will happen by looking at the staffing forecast the accompanies each bid.

There really wouldn't be any retraining necessary. It's just a concept. If you want to fly an aircract position in a particular base, put it on your card ahead of your current position. If you want to fly something even more than that put that position ahead of that one.

It does have some issues when you consider that one position may come availiable one month, then the position you really want may become availiable the very next month, leaving you stuck in your less desired position. But, the planners are required by contract to publish their staffing projections every month, which allows us to bid accordingly.

Being honest, it seems like the NWA system is way better than the DAL system. I hope this "new" great global airline is willing to adapt and take the best of both worlds and that both worlds are willing to adapt to the new changes. :)

Well.........kinda. Yes in your example, there would be no movement from say the MD-88 up to the 767 and so and so on. I can understand waiting for a cycle to see how the dust settles,and we may do that too, but we only have to wait one month. I've just always thought it would be easier to manage 12 monthly small (sometimes larger) awards.

I forget what the waterfall effect is, on training, for one top of the food chain widebody award is..........but it's big and even bigger on your end.

Ferd

New,
I don't think we will have a choice - we will all adapt. Remember - we are labor. Hopefully the training guys will be able to convince them to pull the best from both companies (best practices) but labors definition of best is not always the same as managements.

Scoop

Amen Scoop,

That's fine by me. It will all work out. I get the feeling that my days of saying, "two to go" are numbered though. :)

To our NW brothers and sisters,

I think you'll enjoy the DAL work rules and the pay raise (as I understand your current contract). We welcome you and look forward to our team as the world's largest airline. We appreciate your culture and welcome you! In the long term, this is greatly rewarding to all who fly for NW and DAL. We understand there will be some transition issues. I, for one, welcome the new Delta.

Buzz

Speaking of different practices, I heard a rumor that you guys don't do single engine taxi, and cross bleed starts as a matter of procedure. True or no? Not trying to start anything, just curious, after all, Mi casa es Su casa.