With 1 for 3.5 it is much harder for the company to build 5 day trips and not bump up against FAR's and create credit time issues. It was much easier for NWA with their TAFB rigs. I would not look for a lot of 5 day trips. I suspect many will end up with a All nighter arriving early on the 5th day. We have had those in some categories in the past.

What most pilots seem to forget is that the merged airline is not Delta and its not Northwest. The combined systems will require major changes in rotation construction to reflect the combined systems. Delta has some of the best software in the world for rotation construction. That software however is 99 percent geared to one fact. That is to keep credit time to a minimum. Delta has been very responsive to changing rotations as long as it does not increase rotation time. You also however have to be aware that one mans gold is another mans dirt. I remember when there were large complaints about EWR trips from 727 pilots in NYC. The company said OK we wont build rotations that start at EWR anymore. Nexts months bid package comes out with no EWR and all of the sudden there is a crises and all the pilots who live in PA and NY are screaming where did the EWR trips go. This happens all the time.
NWA pre merger had more credit time then Delta. They also had overall slightly less time earned per day. Probably as a result of the DC9 being the largest catagory. Carmine the program Delta purchased for 25 million dollars is going to eat away at that credit. Many are not going to like the result.
There is another factor also. NWA had for all intents and purposes 2 bases. DTW and MSP. The SEA base was small with one type of Equipment. That kept things somewhat consistant month to month at NWA. They also did not do as many seasonal flying changes as Delta does. We migrate aircraft to a much greater extent. With the combined system having 8 bases its going to drive much different solutions to rotation construction. One change in equipment or route addition or subtraction in LA could have a substantial impact on rotations in DTW.
What this all means is that rotations are going to change and change often. There can and will be dramatic changes month to month. You can complain all day long but its not going to change that fact that this is a much different airline that NWA with 2 bases and a more fixed schedule. The company is not out to screw anyone. They will however seek a rotation construction solution that produces the lowest credit time. Low credit time does not equate to the rotations pilots like to see.
It is worth talking with the people who construct rotations when you have issues. They will listen and if there is a solution that produces little or no credit change they will make the changes. What seems to happen however often when they do that is the improvements created at one base cause negatives at another base. There is no one solution every pilot and base would agree on. The combine NWA and Delta are vastly different from a scheduling perspective then either airline as a stand alone entity. The difference is duty rigs also comes into play. Plan on seeing major changes overall and continuing change month to month. Its the nature of being the largest airline in the world.

The rate you are using for the 737 is incorrect. I don't have the numbers but I think it was around 256 an hour. I suspect you pulled the old 737-200 rate. To compare between now and then you have to use the 800 rate.

I am a DAL N and the sooner the 5 days go away, the better. For everyone that loves the five day, I can find someone who hates them. I would rather fly higher time 3 and 4 day trips.

Sailing,
I respect your post however I do not like the tone of acceptance of lower credit times. What is the problem with trying to produce rotations with higher credit time vs rotations with lower credit time? To me, the company has xxxxxxxxhours to fly every month,and as long as xxxxxxflying is done who cares if we do it in 14 days vs 18 days a month per pilot. This in my opinion is something that needs to change for the good of the entire pilot group. Pilots doing their flying for the month in fewer days is a win win for everyone in that the company has a happier employee and the pilot is happier in that he has more time at home with the same pay. It also frees up more off days for pick up of open trips as well. It seems as if it is all for one(dal) and none for all(the pilots) in this regard. I think we need to shift gears on the software!!!!!!!!!!!!:D

Scoop, there are about 7000 pilots flying for carriers that perform DCI flying.

30% gets you near the SWA rate on our 73N.

How many 3 day 10hour trips do you want to do???????:eek:

As a 727 Captain back in 2000, I think I was making $235 or so.

Anyone flying through ATL notice that the Alaska flight that we DO NOT code share on has been moved from the D Concourse to B33? We are servicing it every day over on B.........