Any "Latest & Greatest" about Delta?
11-09-2011 | 05:31 PM
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 12,831
Likes: 172
From: window seat
And neither will the many hundreds of other guys who see their life disrupted from this bid. Commuting is an absolute reality in this industry. It is not some eccentric lifestyle choice. And taking full advantage of a paid move every single time one is eligible for it would be way more expensive to the company than the occasional call in honest commuter.
11-09-2011 | 05:33 PM
Happy to be here
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 18,563
Likes: 0
From: A-320A
I think this bid and subsequent ones present the company and ALPA with a unique opportunity to help all us line pilots out who commute. I plan on asking JG tomorrow to form a committee to deal with commuting issues. I know its my choice to commute blah blah blah but some of us cannot live in base. For example military people, kids issues, babysitting issues, medical issues, cost issues all are reasons why guys cannot commute. So this is a time for the company, alpa, marketing, and scheduling to get together so show they care about the pilots.
Some ideas I have
1. survey the pilots again and the top bases with the most commuters make the lines 50% commutable.
2. provide free hotel rooms a night for pilots
3. find out where the most pilots commute to from that base and assign overnights in those cities to that base. ie a lot of ATL commuters will be from MEM so assign 320 trips with MEM overnights.
I know this will never happen but i believe it is in the best interest of the company to make commuting as painless as possible.
Dont forget just in time for summer the company is pulling seats out to put in econo comfort.
I for one am getting tired of hearing marketing drives this airline. There is no reason they cannot make our lives easier by swapping out fleets. in most of our cities we can interchange a 737, m88/90 and an airbus and we need to start doing that so our commuters are taken care of.
I
Some ideas I have
1. survey the pilots again and the top bases with the most commuters make the lines 50% commutable.
2. provide free hotel rooms a night for pilots
3. find out where the most pilots commute to from that base and assign overnights in those cities to that base. ie a lot of ATL commuters will be from MEM so assign 320 trips with MEM overnights.
I know this will never happen but i believe it is in the best interest of the company to make commuting as painless as possible.
Dont forget just in time for summer the company is pulling seats out to put in econo comfort.
I for one am getting tired of hearing marketing drives this airline. There is no reason they cannot make our lives easier by swapping out fleets. in most of our cities we can interchange a 737, m88/90 and an airbus and we need to start doing that so our commuters are taken care of.
I
Overnights in lets say ATL on the 320 will be next to nothing after this conversion window because they are moving time here. No layo, no trip rigs, equates to lower pilot cost. It is what is driving the base moves.
Just think of all of the credit time saved by moving the 330 to ATL. No more 12 day ATL-HNL trips. Now it is a 17.50 three day with no credit.
11-09-2011 | 05:35 PM
Happy to be here
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 18,563
Likes: 0
From: A-320A
My guess? The company isn't sure about the economy. Although there are lots of issues right now (just check out the debate to hear a few), I think the price of oil is a biggy for airlines. Everytime there is a hint of the economy is doing better or we're getting out of the recession, oil jumps 20%. That makes air travel more expensive, airlines raise prices, less people travel. Rinse, repeat.
But you are correct, now is the time to interview if you want pilots to be in place for early summer 2012. I think I read somewhere that Delta wasn't expecting any growth for 2012, or actually a slight decrease in pilot hours. Thus, no need to hire.
But you are correct, now is the time to interview if you want pilots to be in place for early summer 2012. I think I read somewhere that Delta wasn't expecting any growth for 2012, or actually a slight decrease in pilot hours. Thus, no need to hire.
Also no reason to hire if you are going to get a flow agreement with a big regional like is rumored on the DALPA forum!
11-09-2011 | 05:36 PM
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 12,831
Likes: 172
From: window seat
All the while I was dying to ask him just one question - why does Delta need CVG? Where does CVG fit into Delta's strategy? But, unfortunately in the course of his Q and A, he made it abundantly clear that he didn't know where the price of oil (and hence the state of our company) would be 6 months hence. So, the desire to ask my question naturally abated.
11-09-2011 | 05:39 PM
seeing the country...
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 4,015
Likes: 41
From: 73N A
show they care about the pilots.
Some ideas I have
1. survey the pilots again and the top bases with the most commuters make the lines 50% commutable.
2. provide free hotel rooms a night for pilots
3. find out where the most pilots commute to from that base and assign overnights in those cities to that base. ie a lot of ATL commuters will be from MEM so assign 320 trips with MEM overnights.
I know this will never happen but i believe it is in the best interest of the company to make commuting as painless as possible.
Dont forget just in time for summer the company is pulling seats out to put in econo comfort.
I for one am getting tired of hearing marketing drives this airline. There is no reason they cannot make our lives easier by swapping out fleets. in most of our cities we can interchange a 737, m88/90 and an airbus and we need to start doing that so our commuters are taken care of.
I
Some ideas I have
1. survey the pilots again and the top bases with the most commuters make the lines 50% commutable.
2. provide free hotel rooms a night for pilots
3. find out where the most pilots commute to from that base and assign overnights in those cities to that base. ie a lot of ATL commuters will be from MEM so assign 320 trips with MEM overnights.
I know this will never happen but i believe it is in the best interest of the company to make commuting as painless as possible.
Dont forget just in time for summer the company is pulling seats out to put in econo comfort.
I for one am getting tired of hearing marketing drives this airline. There is no reason they cannot make our lives easier by swapping out fleets. in most of our cities we can interchange a 737, m88/90 and an airbus and we need to start doing that so our commuters are taken care of.
I
Here are some ideas:
Maybe a cab service from my house so I don't have to make the 30 minute drive back and forth.
Free hotel room in base once in a while for a night on the town with the spouse, with per diem of course
Special crew room for non-commuters so commuters don't use up all the chairs sleeping from their commute.
But seriously, there are people at this airline who don't commute. I imagine you're frustrated but by asking for special treatment, you're taking stuff away from those who live in base.
11-09-2011 | 05:40 PM
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 1,026
Likes: 0
From: maddoggy dog
I think this bid and subsequent ones present the company and ALPA with a unique opportunity to help all us line pilots out who commute. I plan on asking JG tomorrow to form a committee to deal with commuting issues. I know its my choice to commute blah blah blah but some of us cannot live in base. For example military people, kids issues, babysitting issues, medical issues, cost issues all are reasons why guys cannot commute. So this is a time for the company, alpa, marketing, and scheduling to get together so show they care about the pilots.
Some ideas I have
1. survey the pilots again and the top bases with the most commuters make the lines 50% commutable.
2. provide free hotel rooms a night for pilots
3. find out where the most pilots commute to from that base and assign overnights in those cities to that base. ie a lot of ATL commuters will be from MEM so assign 320 trips with MEM overnights.
I know this will never happen but i believe it is in the best interest of the company to make commuting as painless as possible.
Dont forget just in time for summer the company is pulling seats out to put in econo comfort.
I for one am getting tired of hearing marketing drives this airline. There is no reason they cannot make our lives easier by swapping out fleets. in most of our cities we can interchange a 737, m88/90 and an airbus and we need to start doing that so our commuters are taken care of.
I
Some ideas I have
1. survey the pilots again and the top bases with the most commuters make the lines 50% commutable.
2. provide free hotel rooms a night for pilots
3. find out where the most pilots commute to from that base and assign overnights in those cities to that base. ie a lot of ATL commuters will be from MEM so assign 320 trips with MEM overnights.
I know this will never happen but i believe it is in the best interest of the company to make commuting as painless as possible.
Dont forget just in time for summer the company is pulling seats out to put in econo comfort.
I for one am getting tired of hearing marketing drives this airline. There is no reason they cannot make our lives easier by swapping out fleets. in most of our cities we can interchange a 737, m88/90 and an airbus and we need to start doing that so our commuters are taken care of.
I
I live in base and LOVE commutable trips. I like to start late on day one and finish early on the last day. Unfortunately for a commuter I would be taking a trip that would benefit them as well. Do you see the problem here???
11-09-2011 | 05:42 PM
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 2,039
Likes: 0
From: 7ERB
TYG;
Think of the reasons why.
Possible reasons we can delay hiring:
-Shrinking
-Merger or Acquisition
-FT/DT will allow less pilots
-Productivity changes will make us more efficient
-Trip Parking, and yes, it is on the rise esp in the WB categories.
-No one retiring
-By not hiring, when they need to hire they will be able to claim duress and beg for scope relief. (We can't hire that many, we must outsource jobs to keep the network intact)
Just naming possibilities.
Think of the reasons why.
Possible reasons we can delay hiring:
-Shrinking
-Merger or Acquisition
-FT/DT will allow less pilots
-Productivity changes will make us more efficient
-Trip Parking, and yes, it is on the rise esp in the WB categories.
-No one retiring
-By not hiring, when they need to hire they will be able to claim duress and beg for scope relief. (We can't hire that many, we must outsource jobs to keep the network intact)
Just naming possibilities.
My guess? The company isn't sure about the economy. Although there are lots of issues right now (just check out the debate to hear a few), I think the price of oil is a biggy for airlines. Everytime there is a hint of the economy is doing better or we're getting out of the recession, oil jumps 20%. That makes air travel more expensive, airlines raise prices, less people travel. Rinse, repeat.
But you are correct, now is the time to interview if you want pilots to be in place for early summer 2012. I think I read somewhere that Delta wasn't expecting any growth for 2012, or actually a slight decrease in pilot hours. Thus, no need to hire.
But you are correct, now is the time to interview if you want pilots to be in place for early summer 2012. I think I read somewhere that Delta wasn't expecting any growth for 2012, or actually a slight decrease in pilot hours. Thus, no need to hire.
TEN
11-09-2011 | 05:42 PM
Can't abide NAI
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 12,078
Likes: 15
From: Douglas Aerospace post production Flight Test & Work Around Engineering bulletin dissembler
Carl, you have forgotten your history over the last decade. The Comair and ASA pilots wanted scope which bound Delta Air Lines. ALPA said "no, the only party at the table with Delta Air Lines is, and ever will be, Delta pilots." When the Comair and ASA pilots sued ALPA defended the right of the Delta pilots to bargain exclusively with their management.
The DPA's false allegations against straw men will do nothing to advance the contract or careers of Delta pilots. Delta pilots have been subjected to ten years of crap by people like you who want to rally the troops against our brothers. As stated so well by a former NWA pilot at a C44 meeting "NWA pilots did not get date of hire, stop telling us fixing scope will result in Comair pilots getting date of hire." (I laughed and clapped as did most of the room)
Blaming others for our problems is tired. We (and you) must take responsibility for our contract.
The DPA's false allegations against straw men will do nothing to advance the contract or careers of Delta pilots. Delta pilots have been subjected to ten years of crap by people like you who want to rally the troops against our brothers. As stated so well by a former NWA pilot at a C44 meeting "NWA pilots did not get date of hire, stop telling us fixing scope will result in Comair pilots getting date of hire." (I laughed and clapped as did most of the room)
Blaming others for our problems is tired. We (and you) must take responsibility for our contract.
11-09-2011 | 05:45 PM
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 2,039
Likes: 0
From: 7ERB
TYG;
Think of the reasons why.
Possible reasons we can delay hiring:
-Shrinking
-Merger or Acquisition
-FT/DT will allow less pilots
-Productivity changes will make us more efficient
-Trip Parking, and yes, it is on the rise esp in the WB categories.
-No one retiring
-By not hiring, when they need to hire they will be able to claim duress and beg for scope relief. (We can't hire that many, we must outsource jobs to keep the network intact)
Just naming possibilities.
Think of the reasons why.
Possible reasons we can delay hiring:
-Shrinking
-Merger or Acquisition
-FT/DT will allow less pilots
-Productivity changes will make us more efficient
-Trip Parking, and yes, it is on the rise esp in the WB categories.
-No one retiring
-By not hiring, when they need to hire they will be able to claim duress and beg for scope relief. (We can't hire that many, we must outsource jobs to keep the network intact)
Just naming possibilities.
TEN
11-09-2011 | 05:49 PM
Happy to be here
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 18,563
Likes: 0
From: A-320A
I live in base, and choose not to commute to a base with better trips. What are you going to ask the company for those who aren't commuters?
Here are some ideas:
Maybe a cab service from my house so I don't have to make the 30 minute drive back and forth.
Free hotel room in base once in a while for a night on the town with the spouse, with per diem of course
Special crew room for non-commuters so commuters don't use up all the chairs sleeping from their commute.
But seriously, there are people at this airline who don't commute. I imagine you're frustrated but by asking for special treatment, you're taking stuff away from those who live in base.
Here are some ideas:
Maybe a cab service from my house so I don't have to make the 30 minute drive back and forth.
Free hotel room in base once in a while for a night on the town with the spouse, with per diem of course
Special crew room for non-commuters so commuters don't use up all the chairs sleeping from their commute.
But seriously, there are people at this airline who don't commute. I imagine you're frustrated but by asking for special treatment, you're taking stuff away from those who live in base.
I think the best thing we can do is make the commuting policy contractual, and if someone needs it every trip so be it.
Some of us may be forced out of base on this AE, and become involuntary commuters. You were once one, but the merger provided a base within driving distance of your house. That is like winning the lottery. Many are not that lucky, and therefore, it is my opinion that we as a pilot group need to do something for the commuters. I do not care how much you sugar coat a commute, it sucks. Hotel rooms, probably not, but a good commuter clause and a little better trip construction would go a long way.
Many should have thought of that and filled out the scheduling rotation construction survey.
BTW, if I get bumped on this AE, and end up in another base, I cannot move. My house has lost over 150K and value. I am stuck. I will be a commuter out of necessity. Making 4K more a month as a line holder in another base is reason enough to deal with the commute than to take a 1.5K a month paycut on lower equipment.
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