The standard conversion window is 270 days. As for the rest of it, embrace the suck and just wait for something you want to bid and then look for your training dates. The rest of it just makes your head hurt.

 

Thanks Alfa. Thanks 80.

 

 

You think?

 

On the Award page you can check up to 5 separate boxes to combine wants in one line, so
On the award page check departure date and enter the desired date and ON THE SAME PAGE check the pairing number box, list, enter pairing number, add to the big box, and then click the add box at the bottom or top right of the page.
The call center has been busy all day until around 6 pm then the wait times run 0-15 min. No guarantee it will be that way in the future.
Good luck

 

The price of fuel is very volatile, agree? Hedging is a bet on future prices, but not the best way to pay for the cost.

In the US all fuel costs must be included in the base fare for any ticket that is considered a domestic flight. We have big fuel surcharges on international tickets because that is legal.

As fuel goes up and down, the base ticket fare still needs to cover it.

Every other business can add a fuel surcharge and does. Look at your deliver fee for your pizza, fedex, moving companies, sanitation, etc, the list is long. We as airlines cannot.

RA's statement that he would love to see the fuel component removed from the base fare is a wise one. As a fee or surcharge added to the base fare, it can fluctuate. It is added where the taxes are added. It allows us to price a ticket at a constant rate, and then add the fuel on at the time of purchase or check-in, thus taking that unknown out of pricing.

 

That all makes sense. I was actually curious about the big flow through you hinted at. You said it was being talked about on the DALPA forums?

 

Afla quite true, but most find it difficult since they are seeing many bases net losses in flying, and in ATL's case the same trend vector on declining WB seats. Seeing displacements off the most senior equipment is disconcerting to all of us. The reasons are simple, but the results are the same.

I also agree that it has probably been 30 years since DAL has been run this well.

What happens in the EU will effect Europe, and AF. That in turn will effect us. Which way remains to be seen.

 

No idea, just that it was brought up on the forums. From what I heard a few months back from my EV compatriots the rumor has been there awhile. It does make sense though, and is in line with what other pilots have been hearing.

It may be a flow between DAL and Expressjet(formerly ASA) and not DALPA. They can do that if they choose, and it would result in a flow up and probably no flow down if done that way. I would guess if anything is going to happen it would be announced shortly before we hire.

 

I'm concerned that the big "wave" of hiring everyone is counting on could mostly or completely bypass Delta. We will be out there past where the waves break, bobbing on our little surfboard while guys at other places catch the monsters and end up WAY out in front of us. Think about it...

One scenario: company gives another little bit of flying to AS. ALPA and MGT: it's nothing, just .5% of our flying and plus it helps us make money. Company finds a way to end around the AF JV restrictions. DALPA and MGT: don't worry, they are only out of compliance by 1%...we will give them a break for now because we are actually making money. Company pulls back flying by another 1% YOY like in this AE. ALPA and MGT: well we have to do this. This is a bad economy and look how high fuel prices are. Company replaces a few more 88/90 routes with the big RJs they already have. ALPA and MGT: don't be concerned, it's only .5% of our flying, and plus look at all the 50 seaters we are parking!

Well, none of those sound too horrible, but add up those block hour cuts. 12,000 x (.5% + 1% + 1% + .5%) = 360 pilots not needed in a year. And how many retirements do we have coming, on average? I bet a the next 5+ years (maybe even 10) would average to around 360. So I don't put too much stock in the consolation "it'll happen soon enough, and once they start hiring they won't be able to stop."

"Show me the money" is great, but you damn well better show me an iron-clad scope wallet to put that money in. We gained a little stock in the merger, but I guarantee we lost much, much more than that in $ and in QOL as we have stagnated and slipped backwards.