Make it 46. I haven't sent my letter in yet, and I have to think there are more like me. I just got the ALPA e-mail today that was supposed to clear up a few things. That's pretty debatable, but if I'm reading it right, it sounds like you can submit your letter and as long as there is a class more than 30 days out you are in cue. Curious how long guys will continue to trickle in.

Either way, I can't wait to get back in the saddle again.....Thanks for all of the insight and entertainment you guys have provided over the last year or so that I have been reading!

You wouldn't be JH, would you? Or know him?

nope, not me, don't know him.

I re-read the letter from ALPA, says 2 classes per month thru the end of the year.

He did talk me into the August deal, since there is an AE coming out in the fall.

Roadshow peeps are saying that the ER in SEA will grow on the next bid and that there are no plans to "re-base" the 330's at this time. It sounds like none of them will be moving to NYC or ATL for awhile, although I'm sure that is in the plans farther out. I kinda think you will see the ER category grow the next couple of bids and the 330 will get smaller eventually. In the end if the total number of ER and 330 positions in SEA is greater than it was before the merger, then we are all better off. What nobody seems to be leaking out is the plans for the SLC 767 category. Are they gonna convert it to an ER category or just close it?

SLC and ATL will be going 7ER over the next year, at least that was the plan they told us. They also said the 330 and 744 fleets would stay where they are.

Also mentioned was that SEA would grow in the ER category.

At the last LCP meeting we were told that that the 330 would be moving East and the 767 would be moving west. Take that for what it is worth. No time frame

I'll just do the short(ok medium) version on this topic.

A330 ATL-HNL 9/10 departures this year I've been pushed late due to late AWABS numbers. First time we received 6 ACARS messages in 10 minutes telling us DO NOT PUSH. Found out later it was because they loaded us over max ramp weight.

DTW-HNL Late push because Delta switched to a new catering company. Inaugural flight left 90 minutes late, even though the purser had started rquesting the correct catering at 45 mins prior to pushback. Had no ice in biz class for those people that paid $2K plus for their tickets. Undercatered on meals and booze. Had no styro cups. Same day as inaugural DTW-ICN or DTW-HKG, I forget which.

AMS switched to new catering company similar story to DTW.

AMS KLM fuelers being told by DAL to load A330 with a non-standard fuel loads. Did I mention that KLM has been operating the A330 since it was built?

AMS KLM has ground staff meetings every week to work on problems relating to departure delays. Cleaners rep and catering rep no longer attend since they were outsourced to diff company.

SE taxi and APU usage - I have overburned enough fuel due to FPS this year to continuously run an A330 APU for at least 100 hours (300lbs/hr) and thats just on my personal rotations. If they really want to save gas they should start with the things wasting HUGE amounts of gas first. I dare say it would be worth the money to run the flight plan in Worldflight first and xfer it to FPS just to save the gas.

YAY! More deadheads into and out of ATL

Nosmo, appreciate the feedback but that doesn't really address the issue of late AWABS. Most of what you're reporting is the same thing I see going through DTW. Its not the load planners but the catering folks who are screwing up. That's a whole 'nother issue. I get the catering deal...I've been there. This issue that Carl raised was not getting the W&B from the company prior to pushing on time. That's a separate issue and one that I've not seen very often in my years at Delta. The catering thing, and the "home boy" approach to blocking in and blocking out jets in Detroit is a different issue and ones that need to be addressed ASAP.

Guys, instead of venting about operational issues here on APC why don't we all submit some FCRs (new program out today). Maybe that will make a difference...