Originally Posted by forgot to bid

I think you're spot on here.



I'm not going to change the construct of your argument, just the target. ATL is mecca, but I don't think DALPA gives it whatever they want. This after all is the base that saw the 764 flying slashed in half and replaced by the 330 which isn't based here. That kind of slashing moves a lot of people down and out of a category. I flew with a lot of 88 Captains last year getting MD'd back to the right seat of whatever. The 320 and 9 are also here doing "ATL" flying and they rightfully probably hate it as MSP, MEM, DTW and CVG are better facilities.

This is also the base where it took a significant acquisition of 90s before they'd allow the 88 pilots to be qualified on it. Had it not been for the surge of 90s only CVG, MSP and probably NYC pilots would fly the quality of trips that comes with the 90 (such as what the SLC pilots had) versus slugging it out in the 88 east of the Mississippi River to those awesome hotspots like the Dayton long and short overnight.

If I was the 88 A I was talking to a week ago I'd tell you about 1996 and who I think DALPA's primary concern is. And that's senior pilots (or at least as senior as the decision makers are at ALPA). If what he talked about was correct (especially when it came to lump sum retirements) then it would similar to what we saw at Continental Express when our ALPA negotiated to end the flow to CAL but guess what, the last qualified person was just junior of the lowest ALPA pilot negotiating the end of the flow. You take care of your own in other words.

Now that might draw the ire of PG or Slow and by all means I just throw it out there for the sake of the dialogue and a retort is always encouraged here. Otherwise, the thread would die. I don't think ATL is the beneficiary of DALPA work but rather its just a pretty big facility, well not pretty, just big. If you saw a 744 base here while there is no 744 flying, that'd be a red flag for sure. But I do think LAX and the west coast don't get what they should get in terms of protection from the detrimental effects of Alaska. Let's hope New's source is right and that's being reviewed. What's good for LAX and SEA is good for ATL, MSP, MEM, NYC, DTW and CVG.

Originally Posted by tsquare

No, I am not saying that at all. I was just answering the question about how the guys with long trips are able to effectively sell back their vacation. One cannot do that in a category that has a preponderance of short.. 3-4 day trips. They are not truly selling it back, but the net result is the same.. they are not dropping trips back into the pot.

Originally Posted by Drone

Ok, so I am sitting on 7 weeks of no flying after converting from Domestic 767 to the ER and I just got a call for simulator landing currency. Anybody know if this is required as my next trip has to be with a LCP on TOE. I will go if required, but seems silly.

Originally Posted by 1234

I guess I don't understand because wouldn't the longtrip/widebody deal be the same for a narrow-body a/c where a pilot gets a monthly schedule and that pilot has vacation and is working 9 days for the month. Now that narrow body pilot picks up an additional 7 days of work out of open time and is then working the normal 16 days and getting paid around 100 hrs.

Originally Posted by DeadHead

While I think scope is paramount in the next contract, I think we need to get alot better about actually enforcing what's in the contract. I feel like we are always the side of that table that works/negotiates in good faith which is rarely ever reciprocated during tense contract negotiations.

Seems like the pilot group is always on the short end of the stick when contract interpretation comes up.

If I understand it correctly, as far as the Republic discussion goes, it does not violate our scope restrictions because Republic is considered a holding company and not considered as single-carrier status?

Originally Posted by Drone

Ok, so I am sitting on 7 weeks of no flying after converting from Domestic 767 to the ER and I just got a call for simulator landing currency. Anybody know if this is required as my next trip has to be with a LCP on TOE. I will go if required, but seems silly.

Originally Posted by 1234

I guess I don't understand because wouldn't the longtrip/widebody deal be the same for a narrow-body a/c where a pilot gets a monthly schedule and that pilot has vacation and is working 9 days for the month. Now that narrow body pilot picks up an additional 7 days of work out of open time and is then working the normal 16 days and getting paid around 100 hrs.