If the 755 does go to 7ER won't that be a conversion and put all those slots up for bid for all the pilots? That seems like a HUGE amount of potential moving.

Alaskan? Whats Alaskan?

Calling Alaska Airlines (no "n") Alaskan is just like calling Delta an Airline instead of Air Line

What are they waiting for? Is it really for EFCA/card check or something else?

No, it won't be - it's only being called the 755 now to separate the pre-merger NWA 757 pilots because they haven't all been trained in the B767 and all the changes. It's just changing the name of the category - no other training required. It's already listed in the Category list for May 2010 as DTW 7ER.

That's a good point - when the LAX and CVG 767 bases were converted to ER they were opened for bid just like a new category (which is what they were). Is there some sort of side agreement with ALPA concerning the 755 transition that would keep this from happening?

Their waiting to see if the rules change. There is a NPRM to change the way a non vote is counted. Presently it is counted as a NO vote. The proposed rule change will count it as nothing. So as long as a majority of the voters vote yes, even if it's a minority of eligible voters, the union is in.

Transitioning to the ER category from the domestic 767 incurs a 9 month freeze. At least that's the way it's always been in the past.

The way it was explained to me by EB at Captain Leadership School was that there is too much freighter competition overseas. Consequently, the profit isn't there for dedicated freighters anymore. We were also told that with the combined fleets we are moving more belly freight than NWA did with its dedicated freighters. But I'm reading here from you international types that we are leaving freight behind:confused:.

OTOH, Delta just trumpeted its new $10 miliion mail contract. Fed Ex's mail contract is $1 BILLION, according to my Fed Ex buddies. Still sounds like there's money to be made out there.

Those were converted from a domestic category to an international category. Since the 755 is already an international category, all they are doing is changing the name. Besides, isn't that category already open to bids through the AE?

Let me fix that for you.

NWA just didn't want to invest in the freighters. Their competitors all bought B747-400 freighters and have lower costs. Atlas, Kalitta Air and Evergreen all make money these days and are US based and run.