BDGERJMN:

Check your PMs.

Cheers,
ImTumbleweed
"Afterburner is a great subsitute for poor headwork"

Even then it might not be possible. This is a binding arbitration award. I think only the arbitrator could change it.
To add to this I have heard that the company will not make a major wide body purchase until the fence is gone. The fence actually contributed to saving the 747-400. Absent the fence it may well have been gone by the end of next year and replaced with 777-300's. The company realized that they faced a nightmare situation if they attempted that. They would have two different 777 categories at the company and never the two could cross. Have a mechanical on a 777 in NRT and want to move another to that flight. Nope, ones a FDAL and one is a replacement FNWA. Need to reroute a copilot in NRT to replace a sick crewmember. Nope wrong sides of the fence. Need a shortcall reserve to cover a China flight from DTW, Oops out of short calls on that side of the fence. So sad flight canceled. The problems with this situation go on and on hence the extension of the 747's for exactly 5 years. Look for them to go fast at that point and a bunch of 777's to show up.

How do you come up with that? I believe the fence only applies to getting the award for the seat. One you get the seat it would be just like now where north and south crews are already combining.

I believe Sailing is right on this one. Delta looked at a bunch of 777-300's over a year ago and the dual bases and not wanting the debt with the economy in the tubes killed the deal. Look for a big order for 777's to show up when the fences come down in 4 or so years.

Thanks guys. Maybe I can see the May awards just before the AE closure.

The 744 also got us the LAX-HND route, so it's good it's still around. :)

Sailing,

This does not sound right for a bunch of reasons:

First off - The situation you describe only applies if the 777 is a replacement for the 787 or 747. New 777s would not activate "dual Lists."

Second - You are forgetting about DALPAs policy of "Fly now - grieve later." Even if what you say is true -When scheduling calls - we are suppossed to go. The mechanical in NRT would be flown and the Union would grieve it later.

Third - The company seems to find a way around our contract when ever they really want to. If DAL is saying the fences are affecting aircraft orders, I would bet its only because that is exactly what DAL wants us to think.

Besides - At the rate the 787 is going its looking like an academic argument after all. If current trends continue (sliding timelines) It looks like the fences will come down before the 787 begins revenue service.

Finally, not intending to bid either aircraft I could give a crap who flies the 777/747, its all good as far as I am concerned. :) Bring em on - the more the merrier!


Scoop

Wouldn't it all depend on how the acquisition of the 777s was announced? "We are proud to announce that in compensation for Boeing screwing up the 787 we are buying 10 777s" would invoke that paragraph, while "we are proud to announce an additional 10 777s will be delivered to Delta" would not. Or would the grievance police sue anyway?

Hypothetical of course, as I believe the 787 wont see a widget till after the fence comes down.

Happy Mother's Day to all Delta Mothers.

I heard the same thing scoop and it came from somewhere other than APC. It was specifically stated that the company was sure if they parked the 747's then got more 777's that were flying the routes the 747 had been flying that they would be considered replacement aircraft and be subject to the fences. The specific I heard was the DTW base because they would need two categories, one with non-replacement 777's flown by fDAL and another with the replacements flown by fNWA. They figured it would be cheaper to keep the 747's until the fences fall down.