Instant analysis:

Short (standard) conversion window. The long window AE that would account for any drawdawn is yet to come, assuming they really want to draw down.

Timed to let MSP handle the training before the sims are shipped.

Timed to motivate early-out hold-outs, in conjunction with the MSP training center annoucements.

Designed to minimize displacements/cascades by keeping displacements and AE's about even.

Probably will backfire. Who knows where senior people that commute might choose to displace to?

I'm not so sure most of those senior people on the 330 in MSP are commuters. I'm sure a few are but there are a lot of old Republic and NW guys who are native Minnesotans and with the 330 being the only true widebody category in MSP, a lot of those guys are on it.

My guess is the company has noticed that there are quite a few MSP 330 pilots that are around or above the age of 60 with Minnesota addresses on file. Purely a guess, of course. :p

I'd like you to help me guess at the next lottery numbers, because I think you're an unusually astute guesser.

Don't forget another alternative. Having flown with some very senior captains in SEA prior to MSP opening, the ones that lived in MSP were conflicted about a base in MSP. Their reasoning is similar to my reason for not wanting a base in ATL.

If you commute to SEA and live in MSP and are senior enough to bid all the trips that start and end with a DH to/from MSP, you get all the benefits of virtual basing without the ugly staffing reduction problems. That reasoning can also be applied to living in MSP and being based in ATL on the 330.

In pilot terms you get paid to layover at home and get more days off every month by deviating on the front end and back end. Example trip: DH ATL-MSP, fly MSP-AMS, fly AMS-MSP, DH MSP-ATL. Looks pretty good if you live in MSP.

Someone has to cover the A330 flying in and out of MSP after it is closed. Whether it is flown backwards out of Europe or covered with a DH to/from MSP will be a factor in determining whether pilots opt out or follow the airplane.

For me personally, it will mean the end of a 2 year glory period of easy commuting with deviate on both ends and really nice trips. But it still won't make me change seats or bid A330 ATL unless I am bidding #1 in base or I know I can avoid all MED flying.

I can start complaining about the merger again after the ATL A330 base opens. :rolleyes:

There's a 2 page memo on the Crew Resources webpage that goes into more detail about their plans for the future.
A couple significant statements:

This bid is the "first step" toward summer 2012 staffing.

They will not backfill all the 777, 7ER or 767 vacancies that get generated.

If the 330 training required exceeds the schoolhouse capacity for the conversion window then they won't award all those openings.

330 is a crappy plane....French POS...those things fall apart all the time in mid-air. Please don't bid it:D

Nosmo,

I understand your reasoning but they don't have the time to figure out if there will be alot of DH'ing or not and also take part in the incentive plan. They only have until June 30th to decide and July 15 to withdraw. It's waaaaay to late for the Company to open an ATL 330 category by July 1.

Denny

Nevermind. I should have known it was already posted. :D

AE is out!!

thanks to trip parking they don't need to backfill the 777, 7ER and 767. Odd how that works. :rolleyes: