This^^^^. Yes! This is how the line DAL-S guy feels. This is how I feel. We do feel for the changes that our DAL-N brothers are enduring. In the end, we are now one, and we've accomplished a heretofore unthinkable transition. This^^^^.

ftb,

you'll be amazed at how much BETTER the MD90 once you fly it. Just the EEC alone is worth every penny. And the 90 has much better brakes, auto-ignition... Only bad thing is the climb capability isn't as well as the 88.

Can't wait for more crews to get trained on it so I won't have to DH to start/end a trip.

That's because we want a landing. :D Actually, I just thought it was a professional courtesy to get all out for a Captain to review. Kind of like the first leg of a trip, I like to get there and set up the cockpit and preflight before anyone shows up.

I'm there! Living off 70 hours a month and doing okay, especially since I seem to be home 20 days and nights a month. I’m one of those who bids down to reserve for days off but now I bid reserve because I went back a lot on this last AE. There was a time not too long prior to Delta that my wife and I made $150K a year, but we’d bought into the notion that you should live off one income and so our home (mostly :D), old cars and spending followed suit. We’ve been blessed to break-even or better since Delta despite my wife going from big job at a utility company to full-time at our church to part time… and a baby. Its like we’ve made the same amount of money for 3 years. :D

Now my point, 70 hours is doable because my wife works. I can’t live off half of 70 but I could off half of $150K. To be honest, I’d need 90 to make up for her not working. But with her working part time we do fine and I’m home a lot at 70 hours.

However, my big A/C unit, my truck clutch and 4 pine trees in the backyard over the past week have all decided they want replacing. I can nurse them all only so far. I’ve rigged 2 of the 3 to stretch for another year.

What I really need to be doing is laying the ground work for furlough. Not that we’re talking furloughs but because you never know what the next 9/11 might come.

If I could fly the 90 and go ATL-MSP-west coast-MSP-ATL and so forth, I'd never bid off the airplane. Even if the 88 would do that I'd never bid off. This airplane has a siren call that worked on me like the 9 worked on New. I'm sure Bar just spit on his screen right now. :D Its just nice to have a national variety and west coast flying mixed in with the DAY/ROC/PNS/CLT turns.

The last CA I flew with said he'd heard ATL crews were getting 90 qualified but I have not seen that anywhere so I don't think so. I think its just the NYC guys.

News of the day:

Atlanta Business News 1:40 p.m. Monday, April 12, 2010
Decrease Increase AirTran, Delta on opposite ends of quality study

The Atlanta Journal-Constipation

AirTran Airways finished No. 2 in the Airline Quality Rating survey for 2009, released Monday, while Delta Air Lines fell to No. 15 out of 18 airlines ranked.

Overall, the survey found, the nation's major airlines did a better job last year with on-time performance, baggage handling and rate of consumer complaints submitted to the government.

The industry as a whole got its third-best rating in the 19 years researchers have issued the report. The authors said reduced flights are a major reason, noting that service measures tend to rise during times of reduced demand and capacity cuts by airlines.

They also said baggage fees may have helped improve the rate of mishandled baggage because fewer people check bags and airlines want to do a better job now that they charge extra.

But "involuntary denied boardings" -- bumping passengers from overbooked flights -- jumped more than 8 percent from 2008 to 2009.

The quality ratings are issued by professors at Wichita State and Purdue universities who analyze monthly federal data, such as on-time performance, and then weight the results to create their rankings.

AirTran also finished 2nd for 2008 and was 1st for 2007.

Delta was 12th for 2008 and 10th for 2007. Its merger partner, Northwest Airlines, is ranked separately for 2009 because the operations were not fully integrated. Northwest finished at No. 4.

Joining Delta near the bottom were two of its regional affiliates. Comair, a Delta subsidiary, was No. 16 while contract carrier Atlantic Southeast Airlines was No. 17.

Overall ranking in the 2009 Airline Quality Survey (2008 rank in parentheses)

1. Hawaiian (1)
2. AirTran (2)
3. JetBlue (3)
4. Northwest (4)... okay, now add NWA to DAL and where are we?
5. Southwest (6)
6. Continental (8)
7. Frontier (7)
8. US Airways (10)
9. American (9)
10. ExpressJet (N/A)
11. Alaska (5)
12. Mesa (14)
13. United (11)
14. SkyWest (13)
15. Delta (12)
16. Comair (15)
17. Atlantic Southeast (17)
18. American Eagle (16)

---
Earnings Preview: Delta Air Lines's Quarterly Results will be Reported in 12 days (DAL)
Written on Sat, 04/10/2010 - 11:31
By Chip Brian
Analysts, on average, expect Delta Air Lines (NYSE:DAL) to report a loss of $0.23 on sales of $7 billion on April 21, 2010.
For the full year, analysts expect the company to post EPS of $1.51. In the year-ago period, the company reported a loss of $0.84 on sales of $6.7 billion.
In the previous quarter, the company reported a loss of $0.27, missing consensus estimates for a loss of $0.22.
SmarTrend is bullish on shares of Delta Air Lines and our subscribers were alerted to Buy on March 01, 2010 at $13.22. The stock has risen 10.3% since the alert was issued.
---
Sector Snap: Airline stocks climb

Airline shares rose Monday, helped by easing oil prices and a rally in the broader market that pushed the Dow over 11,000.

The Amex airlines index rose 2.1 percent, with all 13 of its component stocks higher in midday trading.

The Dow Jones industrial average gained 25 points to move back above 11,000 in midday trading, as concern eased about Greece's debt problems and corporate takeovers boosted some stocks.

Airline stocks have been helped by reports of merger discussions between United Airlines and US Airways, which could help carriers reduce the supply of seats and hike prices.

Meanwhile, crude oil prices fell slightly as traders figured that a slow economic recovery wouldn't cause a strong boost in U.S. oil and gas demand. Benchmark crude for May delivery dipped 13 cents to $84.79 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Airline stock often trade opposite oil prices as fuel costs represent one of the industry's biggest expenses.

In midday trading, shares of United parent UAL Corp. rose 89 cents, or 4.3 percent, to $21.39. US Airways Group Inc. gained 23 cents, or 3.1 percent, to $7.55. Continental Airlines Inc. -- which some analysts believe could attempt to combine with United -- rose $1.31, or 6.1 percent, to $22.84.

Delta Air Lines Inc. gained 25 cents to $14.83. American Airlines parent AMR Corp. added 7 cents to $8.71. Southwest Airlines Co. picked up 7 cents to $13.37.

[QUOTE]What current events? The MEC is working and working well. Decisions are being made largely in a bipartisan manner. OK so you didn't like the outcome of the Neg Cmte Election. As stated previously it could not have happened the way it did without the support of pre-merger DAL Reps. Why aren't you as prejudicial in your remarks towards them, as they made it possible? Why are you trying to create villainy where there is none?


Urban myth - you had a large cast of handlers and operatives, they just weren't officially part of the mix. Again why dredge up the past to cast a negative light on the pre-merger NWA MEC? To what end? It's over and we've moved on. Reenacting the civil war serves no purpose.

Yes it is - especially the vilifying by some of the N Reps and former MEC. I believe "Politics of Personal Destruction" was the term you coined, but seems to be what you are engaging in. Neither KW nor C54 speaks for me - it is an annoying side show that you seem determined to turn into stage center.

You seem like you have a grudge to nurse since you didn't get the results you wanted in the Neg Cmte elections. Seems to me all your posts are sour-grapes that there is a new MEC with different ideas and a different direction they are taking, and you and others are not having quite the blank check you were hitherto used to. Get over it and move on.

My beef is you seem to be intentionally trying to re-create the turmoil of the SLI period when everyone else on the MEC and most of the pilots have gotten past it. Creating divisiveness by accusing others of doing so while claiming the high ground is as old as ALPA.

BTW, I heard from a friend who attended the C20 Special Informational Meeting today, and was told Chairman Moak made an informative presentation, did a lot of Q & A and that it was very well received and took a lot of notes for action.

I know the NYC guys are getting 90 qualified. Supposed to be by the end of the year. I was a 90 guy in CVG and hoping they'll pay me again to watch the stupid disk.

9 times out of 10 on reserve, I was called out to go cover a 90 trip. Got to be a PITA.

Hey can you get your friend to post those notes on here.....

To everyone's dismay, I'm back! Deal with it and check out my newsest avatar. :D

A very knowledgable ER friend of mine once did a pay analysis and determined that if we worked for tips only, we would fare much better. This of course was predicated on the public understanding that we make no salary at all and rely on tips alone. The results were actually amusing, but on the other hand sobering. The correlation between a restaurant waiter and us was actually a bit sickening.

Increased Levity Commentary: As far as my avatar: My picture is unflattering and not a true reflection of my actual weight. Yes, I was forced to leave the Navy because I could no longer be lifted or propelled by the ejection seat, but my thoughts were, why not just get bigger rockets on the ejection seats. After all, the airlines are forced to provide a means for us "weight challenged" individuals. Why not the military? I simply do not understand why the F-22 Raptor and F/A 18 Super Hornet cockpits cannot be completely redesigned to accomodate my additional donut load. They could call it the Raptor Gross or the Super Hornet Gross. Just a thought. My over bearing and over weight lawsuits are now on file and should soon allow 1000 pounders to at last patrol the Iraqi skies for bad guys. By the way, you can call me fat, and you can call me a bas*%d, but you don't have to call me a fat bas%$d.

I think he was referring to Lee Moak taking notes on pilot areas of concern.