It is much more common to see displacements during stagnant times. The company would rather have guys bid off planes than force them off, so that is the hope as certain fleets get drawn down and others ramp up. Not sure what, if any, re-alignment is left.

Displacement bids can happen anytime if the company feels like they have a surplus they don't want to carry. Personally, I don't think there are going to be as many displacements as you think...(I assume you're talking about 7ER displacements after the summer) I think quite a few will bid 717A and 737A.


Easy Victor,

Not sure if you know this so I'll throw it out there anyway. Generally speaking, displacement bids and AE bids are not separate. They are combined into one bid. It's possible for there to be just a displacement bid but the airline would have to be shrinking for that to happen. What we've had the last year or so have strictly been AE bid from which no one can get displaced. That could possibly change after this summer with more 757's leaving the fleet. The company would rather have guys bid off than equipment rather than displace. They might even carry a surplus for a few months if necessary.

Time will tell.

Denny

Thanks for the info.

Oops! Typo. That should read 6 ATL 717.

Denny,

I am not sure that is correct. It seems to me that many pilots have been displaced in the last year(i tried to find all of the past AE/Displacement bid results but could not find them). I know that just 5 months ago 36 pilots were displace in SLC between the 3 categories (20 off of the 737 alone). That is nearly 8% of the pilots in the base being displace as a result of the ER reductions. I also feel the the last AE news letter was preparing the pilot group for further displacements out of the ER category. However, everybody on this forum assured me that the 25% reduction in 7ER flying is normal and that they will not actually reduce the number of pilot in the category. So that is good.

Actually, now that you've made me think of it, I was displaced last year in Feb/Mar time frame and reinstated on the next bid prior to going to training. DOH! :o Regardless, the last 2 or 3 AE's have not had any displacements on them. Hopefully that continues.

Well, I hope they are right! I certainly don't think 25% of the category will be displaced. I hope most if not all of the surplus is taken by guys bidding off voluntarily but I wouldn't be surprised if there are some displacements.

Denny

The company has stated exactly that. There will be reductions in 757's and some 767's. The 25 percent block hour reduction they posted is mostly seasonal. The actual reductions should easily be covered by the increase in CA positions.

Does anyone know how far out Delta has interviews scheduled? Through the end of February? End of March? Still 3 days per week?

While we're trying to interpolate the ER's future by focusing on the seasonal 25% swing, that's completely irrelevant. The only thing that will drive displacements or not is the super double secret ER/75 retirement plan. There's really no straight answer to that right now. Depending on who you ask (and what hour of which day you ask them) the ER fleet is being extended with dramatically slower retirements, or we're fixin' to cull a mass quantity of 75's in a 2 year period. That makes a huge difference in the company's decision to displace or not, which is always a tough one during a period of hiring and transitioning at a relatively rapid rate (not to mention possibly a little *gasp* growth?!?!?!)

You just can't get a srtaight answer out of anyone on this subject. And even if you do, it'll change in a week anyway. In the company's defense, they probably don't know either and are simply enjoying the "flexibility" they have with a very good and capabile, "paid for" fleet type with lower capex as they surgically analyze each and every flight it does with incoming newer AC.

I've got a March 11th interview, as a data point -- 2 months after I got the invite email (Jan 13).