If you do not think for a second that all of us want to be there you are kidding yourself. The question is how to get their the quickest.

I still submit that LUV is the main reason for our woes. Our Legacy debt structure and business plans could not compete with an airline that paid its pilots less, had them buy their type ratings, and overall had a lower cost structure. They got lucky on a fuel hedge, and were able to kill all of us. Our implosion was massive. We are just above that bottom.

Consolidation is the best and quickest path to defend against a round two. True coast to coast route structures are necessary to compete with these LCC"s that pick low hanging fruit. We have see the success of this plan in MSP, and SLC.

LUV is seen as some goal, when in reality they caused the profits and margins to dry up. Mismanagement of the threat further exasperated our decline, and as a result we took it in the shorts in CH11. Like I said, we have not even had one section six. Lets see where we are in the "restoration spectrum" after section six.

Unity will deliver the best results. We have 10 months to get our house in order.

 

As we have previously discussed, this is more than likely true, but if the pilots do not buy it, the association needs to question why. My conclusion is that the pilots have not been given enough facts to see the ALK for what it is.

 

They did. Of course we need to note that we do not put the DAL code on that flight even though their kiosks are in our check-in hall and they board from a DAL gate.

 

Not to change the subject but, WOW, it's taken the NMB over 5 months to DECIDE to investigate the allegations brought by the AFA and Delta from last years vote? My gosh, how long is the investigation and ruling going to take? Sheesh!

Denny

 

I noticed that too. I figured by fall but who knows.

 

I can agree with your last two words but I think you are being overly optimistic with the first part. Ninety plus percent of the FA's I talk with, whether they are pro union or not, just want a decision to be made one way or the other.

Denny

 

Alfa,

I agree with you but I still would like to recapture all of our flying by capitalism and competition. Delta is diluting its "brand" ,jeopardizing its culture and "chipping" away at its quality by outsourcing to third rate carriers like REPUBLIC. I do agree Alaska is quality but Republic: NOT.

I would love to see Delta flights being flown by Delta Pilots in command of Delta Aircraft. It is so simple yet the politics of the airline industry and management bonus structure would not allow it.

I still maintain positive and I still believe, one day, we will stop outsourcing.

Ten

 

Carl,

These days I am totally confused by DALPA's actions and throw around a lot of "what tha's" when I talk about them. I still don't believe it is an ALPA problem because:

1.) No one has ever told me if we "switched" and elected the same people for the new organization, how things would be different. &

2.) No one has explained why the new United ALPA can take much stronger positions than us on scope, pay, and operational issues, and we can't. (and their pilot group still tried to recall their leadership.)

I want to know what is going on with our people, and I'm about to address one of them -- or, at least what I believe to be the mindset -- right now.

Wish me luck.

 

alfa,

Like it or not, you, pineapple, and sailing or slow (I can't remember which one) are equated to be the ALPA insiders on APC, so forgive me if I confuse what one of you said earlier with what someone else said.

But, one of you told me that the reason Alaska was allowed to fly to Atlanta and Minneapolis from Seattle is because of scope language that NWA brought to the merger. If this is the case, pre-merger I NEVER remember seeing an Alaska airplane in Minneapolis. On the other hand, I do remember Alaska attempting to fly an NWA route (I can't remember which one), NWA pilots not being happy with it, and NWA responding by putting a daily 747-200 flight from SEA to ANC. Subsequently, Alaska Airlines changed their mind about flying the NWA route. (Maybe someone can refresh my memory on the details again. I'm getting old.)

Back then we flew EVERY flight between MSP and SEA and Alaska management and their pilots didn't have a problem with it. So, I'm not using analogies, I'm comparing the past to the present.

Presently, Alaska Airlines pilots are flying routes that we used to fly exclusively. In the past, they did not. So, presently I don't particularly care who would or should be offended by us doing the same flying out of the same places we used to fly out of now. What I do care about is what appears to be a loss of flying that we are more than capable of performing. If it is a loss of flying, the way I see it, we (DALPA) should be the offended ones. But, for some reason, we are not.

Obviously, something has changed. But, I wonder if it is the language and terms of our scope agreement or if it is the mindset of our DALPA leaders.

I just don't remember our scope agreement changing.

 

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