150 is not going to make or break it. If they are going to use 150 as the arbitrary number they were going to furlough anyways and will just use PERP numbers as their excuse. I had heard we might not even be looking at MD's let alone furloughs, even without the PERP, so this might just be a smoke screen for worse than forecast forward looking numbers. One things for sure, threat of furlough or MD is not going to have the least effect on motivating senior guys to retire.

I agree.

Like I said last week. If we do MD or change next years projected block I think that furloughs are definitely a possibility.

As of now, it only appears to be school house rumor.

IMHO no more than 200. (And that is with a big IF)

The rumor and it is only a rumor and IMHO not a solid one at that, is that they need 150~200 PERPS if not they could just possibly layoff 50-150 pilots.

Like I said it is just rumor and not one that I put much in to. It makes sense b/c that is all they could get away with if they MIN staffed the airline next summer.

Alfa wanted to liven this thread up so I figured I would put this out there. I heard it from two different people, but none of which are "in the know."

Temper it with the fact that we see 2010 Q1 as the true turn around. I worry about that, but just because of my finance background.

Just saw a post on another site were ALPA VP John Sluys is supposedly promising Horizon guys and the other code shares a flow through if Horizon joins ALPA.

As my favorite uncle used to say,

"Do whut?"

How this is gonna work?

I can't imagine a furlough of anything less than 500-1000 pilots as having any value to management. As soon as they furlough 1 pilot they have to start pulling seats out of the 76 seat airplanes, after they get a little up the list they have to pull out seats from all of the 76 seat airplanes. If they are going to have to rip out seats from jets, it better be for a really big reason.

In settling the 76 seat grievance settlement, Delta accepted the union's view of allowed 76 seat aircraft, which further limits their ability to reduce the mainline fleet without pulling down smaller airplanes. (see junior folks, you may not have been "sold out" like you originally claimed, this settlement provides important protections for you)

Delta has about 10,500 active line pilots now (excluding sick, mil leave, etc.) and 100 pilots are 1% of that. The TLV range is allowed to go from 74-79 which allows them to vary staffing by 6-7% just by going up or down that range. In the short term, they can vary staffing by 12-13% by going up or down the ALV range (72-82).

This system was designed to flex up and down to accommodate short term changes to block hours. It only makes sense to furlough if they are going to drastically reduce the entire system footprint for a long period of time. Just my $0.02.

I sure hope you're right, alpharomeo!

Free food @ the Proud bird (LAX) this Friday!
 

I knew the title would lure all the west coasters. We have council 16 meeting this coming Friday, June 5th, 11am. Including a CPZ presentation that i think will be somewhat of a learning experience. Everyone's invited, including our Dal-N bro and sis!

See ya there!

I agree, and stated this as a school house rumor for a reason. I did not put much creditably in to it, but hey you said you wanted something to talk about.
Also, what makes sense is they can rip out only a few seats. IE not hit the 01 trigger which would start at about 400 in to it. Economics do not makes sense. It is cheaper to have the carrying costs in the near term.

Now if there is not a turn around, then all bets are off.

Is DAL still saying that they forsee the economy improving in 2010?