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

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Quote:

Originally Posted by alfaromeo (Post 832854)

What every legacy carrier needs is the ability to fresh start their IT. It is extremely difficult to upgrade mission critical IT components while they are being used 24/7.

I'm certainly not talking about upgrading, because as you correctly point out, that is all but impossible while the system is being used 24/7. What I AM talking about is picking the correct system to run the airline, and picking the correct system to shut down. I think the evidence is clear that we shut down the wrong system. The fNWA IT system could have easily run the entire new airline, and since it was more modern, it could have taken us a few more years into the future why we decided on what the next generation would be. We had to pick one system and make the other airline's operation work with it. By picking the far less modern one, we've put ourselves into the position of bad ops data that we now find. Shutting down the more modern system was a tremendously bad decision. Add that to the list of really bad decisions in the last few years that Scoop pointed out, and it's got me concerned.

Quote:

Originally Posted by alfaromeo (Post 832854)

WorldFlight would have to be really, really special and produce super spectacular results for them to invest any amount of money to upgrade.

If we had chosen WorldFlight as the new airline's model and shut down FPS2.0, no new money for upgrading would be required. WorldFlight would be operating for the entire new airline. Again, no new money would have been required.

Quote:

Originally Posted by alfaromeo (Post 832854)

If I were in charge, I would do things differently, but I am not in charge.

That is a view held by most of us I bet.

Carl

Quote:

Originally Posted by keenster (Post 832890)

In the last 20 pages or so we seem to be hashing out the path taken to get the airline to SOC. Many people have good points. The fact that there is a discussion about these matters, procedures, IT, etc. demonstrates that most everyone cares about this airlne in that it becomes the best carrier out there. Imagine if we could get every single employee and manager pulling on one side of the rope what we would be able to do as a corporation and airline. It saddens me that many choose to focus on the negatives and sometimes code them as a north or south issue and I myself have been guilty of this at times. I think that many times when we try to relay there might be a better way to so someting it is percieved as slamming the other side. Maybe the following will shed some thought and ideas on where we are coming from.

fNWA pre merger perception: DAL is a far superior airline than NWA, bigger, better contract, better everything.
fNWA after merger reality: NWA was a pretty good airline, as good or maybe better than DAL. Our contract was pretty good compared to DAL. IT is really bad over here. I am making less money now than before for the same hours worked due to contract differences(not the case this year). QOL has gone down.

Perception: Best practices of both airlines will be combined together to have great procedures and operations.
Reality: So far it has been like beating our heads on a wall. No open door policy. Our best people in key positions quiting or resigning because they can get no where i.e. chief pilots and fleet captains etc. Training so far has been a joke "by bulliten". FA service in the cabin in total dissary because of some new flandango service that someone cooked up somewhere.

Some call it whinning, but these are general feelings about how things have gone down. We really do want things to get better. I could give a rats where change comes from but things need to improve. How do we get everyone pulling on one side of the rope and I am not talking about drinking coolaide here. It is not a pretty picture out there. I'm getting that uncomfortable feeling that this company is to big to operate efficiently with the current system of management where it is today. It bothers me that most of the DALs guys on here defend the status quo to the hilt. No matter how well we fly the planes, we are only as good as management will let us be in providing the environment to have employees do their jobs to treat our passengers professionally and get them form a to b on time with safety being the number one priority. I can't even get out of the gate on time in most cases right now. We seem to be failing on the basics way to much right now. Why am I going on about this??? I want things to get better. I see many more Pi**ed passengers than happy ones. The ship needs to turn around and not 6 months from now, it need to be done soon!!!!!!!!!:eek:

That's a really good synopsis Keenster.

Carl

Quote:

Originally Posted by keenster (Post 832895)

Just wondering since you fly the 88, how could the airplane be load limited on a 40 minute flight. Obviously I am not understanding something about AWABS. Thought I had it down but I must be missing something.:confused:

The most important person to call is Dispatch. The Chief Pilot Support Center can be helpful, but they will fix the problem by calling dispatch. The CPSC actually encourages you to start with Dispatch first, then call the CPSC if for some reason Dispatch isn't aware of the policy.

Carl

Quote:

Originally Posted by satchip (Post 832821)

What's up with DTW 7ER B? Three of us NY ER guys got DTW rotations tomorrow. I have a six hour sit at the Westin tomorrow. Anyone going to be around to watch the game with?

Dunno, I live in DTW and got an out of base green last weekend. I keep hoping for more - and of course when I get a NYC trip, it's not to DTW. ;-)

As for the game, although it would be fun to meet up, Momma and the kid just got back from a trip.

Now that we can be assigned up to 9 days of reserve in a row, how does Scheduling give the 7th day off? Nwa would release you for the next day or for a specific 24 hours (11am-11am for example).

I ask because I've been on short call the 1st two, long call today, and they are trying to assign a four day to me for tomorrow. I haven't been released at all and don't think I will be legal to fly the 4 day.

Thanks.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Carl Spackler (Post 832663)

Trust the process? Even after RA himself says IT is the biggest worry that keeps him up at night? Even after our current level of troubles involve IT issues to a large degree? That level of trust is naiive.

Carl

The process is bring about the change that many have one called for and two sought.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Carl Spackler (Post 832667)

I've said this many times. Delta can do whatever they want, and they are. It's just strange to hear so many say that they're somehow taking the best of both worlds.

Carl

They are. They just did not initially. 350 items that they want to create hybrid policies for.

Carl;
The whole point was that what we have is what we have. We fly the line and they make the decisions.

Every time I talk to someone that can make those changes you suggest, the comment is that they are in the works. All I am advocating is patience in the process. Everyone wants to see improvements but we need to trust that they understand the shortcoming and are working on the issues in some sort of prioritized list.

I have seen more progress here in the last few months than most people have seen here in twenty years. It is not group think. It is recognizing that things take time.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jabwmu (Post 832954)

Why aren't you legal? I am pretty sure you will be released for at least (is it 9 hours??????) prior to the assigned trip. Welcome to the best reserve system in the airlines... or so I have been told.

Quote:

Originally Posted by keenster (Post 832890)

I am making less money now than before for the same hours worked due to contract differences(not the case this year).

Care to educate us on this one? If it is because of the time and a half for over 80... you are barking up the wrong tree. Personally I'd rather have 2x greenslips (and I am very junior in my category) so I RARELY get any. But back on topic.. how are you making less when your hourly rate is more?