Dalad,

Thanks for the info.

One of my neighbors is a simulator tech/manager dude. He said the A330 simulator that we got from Manchester just got certified last week.

Roadie, another aspect to factor in. ALL of the routes/trips/lifestyle options are evolving dramatically as the marketing guys move the pieces around. IMHO, its not going to settle down until at least 2011 and the next AE in the fall. To make a decision right now about trips you can expect in the future is a crap shoot. Too much movement across all equipment types. The ER is probably a little more static, but that's not a given either.

Hence the reason fences are Shltty for all parties involved......

You're right bro...we need to mutually get rid of these fences. It has potential to cause serious strife between pilots....just add some widebody orders. Right now, 90% of the pilots I talk to are in favour of dissolving the fence. If it is legally possible, we should do it.

I believe its possible ONLY if 100% of the pilots on the seniority list legally agree. Note I did not say MEC or reps I said seniority list pilots. Not gonna happen.

From the SLI Award:

4. For the period of five (5) years beginning with the first bid period after the issuance of the Single Operating Certificate (SOC), no pre-merger Northwest pilot may be awarded or displaced to a vacancy on a B777 aircraft or category and no pre-merger Delta pilot may be awarded or displaced to a B787 or B747 vacancy.

5. Should the merged company take delivery of any aircraft which is/are a replacement of any aircraft covered by Paragraph 4., the captain positions and, as applicable, the first officer positions on each such replacement aircraft will be allocated in accordance with the Paragraph 4. restrictions on the type it is replacing.

6. Paragraph 4. shall expire on the fifth (5th) anniversary of the SOC. Any bid awards or displacements effective after that date will not be subject to this restriction.

7. If there are insufficient bidders from one pre-merger pilot group for a posted or contingent vacancy on one side of the fence during the period covered by Paragraph 4., unfilled vacancies may be filled by pilots from the other pre-merger airline.

8. A pilot awarded a position (via an AE, MD or VD) to a category as a result of insufficient bidders will, for the purposes of processing future displacements in accordance with Section 22 F. of the JCBA, be considered is junior to all pilots from the pre-merger pilot group that was entitled to that category.

Source: SLI Award, Page 30 of 32.

Any guesses as to what % will hold a line on MSP M88B?

Probably too early to tell, but thought I'd ask anyway. :o

Well, for May they gave out 28 REG lines on MSP 88 B and 28 RES lines. So 50% or better as of right now, which as you said is early in the game.

I think 80% is the average, I looked at an established stable category like the 320 DTW and its 82.5%.

If you look at 88 ATL you'll see you need 79% or better to hold a line with 357 REGs and 95 RES. Now our estimated line count for May matched the actual, I guess we're adding 25 pilots so if we don't add any additional flying then you need to be 75% or better. I believe weekends off on the 88 ATL B REG requires you to be in the 38%, i.e. a 10 year FO that is a better than mid 2000 hire.

I don't know, but by the looks of the last bid and the new positions on this bid that may be a good place to be. Other than NYC, your seniority will be better in that category than any other in the system. The -9 category is getting small enough that it will probably go more senior than the 88 here shortly.