Sailing,
Your point in red is exactally why DAL needs the monthly APA system. It allows the company much more flexiblity in moving people and expanding or contracting positions which Delta seems to do a lot more than NWA did. Lets say that tomorrow DAL discovers the need to dramatically downsize SEA base and increase JFK because some bean counter really fouled things up. Would you want to do it now or wait until Sep/Aug because that is the next AE. Just saying that a monthly tweaking seems to allow more flexibility than 3 times a year does and would also give guys a better idea of what they can do rather than shooting in the dark alot. Each position had a viewable list of who was bidding the position along with displacements if there were any. We did the AE thing before we got APA just like you guys do now. Having done both systems I vote for APA. Trust me you would like the monthly gig.;)

My view (since we all seem to be giving the APA a discussion today) is that I wouldn't like an APA-style system. Here's why:

First - it gives marketing too much ability to tweak stuff. "Oh, we're short two FOs over here, we have 6 extra Captains here". Sometimes at companies, if you give someone the ability to constantly micromanage something, they will. I think the AE system forces marketing and flight ops to plan ahead, which is nice since our lifestyle and pay depends on it. ;-)

Second, from my view of APA (from a far, I've never flown under it) from talking with my NWA buddies, it results in a near-constant status of training. Some guys over at NWA haven't gone to a recurrent class in years, because they keep moving back and forth between equipment. Personally, I don't want to head to MSP or ATL twice a year for weeks at a time.

Third, the company does have the ability to run many AEs per year. They don't need to wait for a certain month, from what I understand. The reason there are less is that there is more training in each one. The only reason there is DTW777 on this bid is that the schoolhouse could only handle the amount of training that was on the last one.

One of the biggest reasons that I liked the APA system is that you knew when you would be going to training.

I don't care what system we are using, as long as they have upward movement.:)

Actually backwards once again!!! :rolleyes:
Roughly 23 in front and 19 behind me

Nosmo,
You ARE the King, brother! Quote of the Month for that one. The DC-9 windows and side panels look like a freakin salmon ladder when it rains. Not enough paper on the plane to stop it anymore since galley wipes went the way of progress.

So I'll keep the pay protection until the junior pilot completes his/her training in their new aircraft assignment. If I follow that logic than, if by some chance a bid comes out in August and that junior pilot's bid is realigned back into their current position (i.e. a senior pilot bids them out of their seat back into their old seat) prior to their conversion window, then pilots senior to them will maintain the pay protection since the junior pilot never officially converted.


Thanks for the response ACL, I know I drive you crazy with them at times.

....and so does the 88 :p

Yeah, its weird isn't it? I always feel like I'm walking the Long Green Mile to the chair, when I go down there.l:eek:

LAWA types in suits were measuring and taking pictures with a hipster artist type
I'm guessing a mural...

Cheers
George

I forgot to bid MSP 7ER. :(