Airline Pilot Central Forums - Any "Latest & Greatest" about Delta?

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- - Any "Latest & Greatest" about Delta? (https://www.airlinepilotforums.com/delta/36912-any-latest-greatest-about-delta.html)

Quote:

Originally Posted by iaflyer (Post 814072)

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.

First - Maybe true, but you did not have to be the one getting "tweaked". If you did not want a particular position at a particular time, you simply removed it from your card.

Second - I have a hard time believing this. Unlike Delta, NWA had a training freeze associated with your move, even a mandatory displacement. I can't envision a scenario where a guy would have made multiple moves between aircraft in a year. Forced from base to base on the same equipment - yes - but not between airplanes. You could be displaced to multiple aircraft in the same year, but that happens here, too.

Third - This is a wash between the two systems. Training capacity and marketing decisions always determine who goes where and when.

The APA system gave you a very slight edge in controlling your life in that you didn't have to place all your marbles in one bag. Who knows when the next AE will be? At least at NWA you knew there was a chance every month.

Quote:

Originally Posted by johnso29 (Post 814102)

I forgot to bid MSP 7ER. :(

Do you live there? Then maybe it would be a good deal.

Otherwise the bright-side is your not seat locked and can bid it next time around with qualifiers to ensure your QOL doesn't slide.

Long career ahead of you. There's something to be said for handpicking your trips, swapping them around when you need to and getting days off.

Enjoy seniority where you can get it! Personally I think I would rather be one of those guys sitting halfway up the list on the 88/90 up there than at the bottom of that ER list. Can't believe how many guys just possibly locked themselves in to being the anchor for the next 2 years or more (assuming times are good and no displacements).

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pineapple Guy (Post 814058)

Ferd, the company could publish an AE every month if they wanted to, meaning it would essentially mirror the old APA system as I understand it. So I'm not sure there is actually any more flexibility in the APA system than the current AE. Just my opinion, and I'm sure someone will come along soon and call me a pr1ck again just for stating it...:(

:rolleyes: Oh geez, now he's an overly sensitive whiny pr1ck! Oh, and quit trying to outsmart the profanity filters! ;)

Seriously though, you have a good point. There's no limit on how many AE's they can publish, is there?

Quote:

Originally Posted by FlyinPiker (Post 814107)

I don't have seniority anywhere, & can't hand pick any trips on any fleet. :p

But thanks for trying to cheer me up. Barring unforseen events, it should be a long career with plenty of opportunities for the 7ER. :)

Quote:

Originally Posted by johnso29 (Post 814113)

I don't have seniority anywhere, & can't hand pick any trips on any fleet. :p

Maybe now you can't, but the good thing is your not seat locked in a position that will prolong that.

New opportunities are offered every bid to those that have the freedom to pull the trigger on them! Lock yourself into something to soon and you might miss something better later. :)

But your right, as long as this hiring waves continues on it's planned course there are going to be lots of opportunities (AE's) for just about any reasonable plane/base combination you desire over the next year or so ( and hopefully beyond that!). Patience will pay off!

I am holing out for the day they are insufficient bidders on the 744! :D

Quote:

Originally Posted by johnso29 (Post 814113)

Brother in 15 years you will be a ERA. :eek:

Quote:

Originally Posted by acl65pilot (Post 814124)

I am holing out for the day they are insufficient bidders on the 744! :D

Cheers! It's nice to no longer have the "I better take what I can get" mind-state that is in play during periods of stagnation/ moving backwards.

It's a whole new day (well I guess it will be once they finalize all the equipment moves and retirements pick up)!!!

Does anybody know if they fillled up all the MSPM88B of 76 slots? I could only count maybe 30 or so? However, the MSP7ERB of 20 vacancies turns out to be more than double.

Well they are still in the office looking at the stuff. I bet it will be a late night for them.