The birdy said the 1000 pilots is managements guess at a worst case scenario. For the rest of us sticking around, its a dream case scenario. Add in a ten year fence and we'll have an enjoyable next ten years.

lay off the kool-aid capn. 1000 guys? That will happen when we reopen Dallas and Orlando and everyone at the new Delta gets their pensions back because "Anderson cares about me."

Those guys better be quick. Management isn't stupid. DCC is set to happen the day after Justice Dept. approval. Those pilots will have maybe 24 hours notice to "jump ship". Probably less.

All pilots thinking about retiring in the next month or two will have a choice to make. They can get out before DCC and pay lower medical premiums or they can stay until DCC and collect the equity. Can't have both.

For those talking about NWA management not "letting" 1000 guys retire, you should know it's not management's decision to make. If 1000 NWA guys want to retire early, there's nothing that can be done.

Not that I'm encouraging this in any way, but guys who are interested in retiring before the huge jump in early retirement medical premiums don't have to be sitting on pins and needles waiting to decide to put in their papers just before the DCC. They only need to call in sick the day before. Under the newest interpretation of the JPWA, if you early retire directly from sick leave, your medical premiums are grandfathered in at the old rates. That would be one way for a guy to get the equity claim, then retire under the old premiums. It's sneaky, but possible. I think that's what the company's worried about.

I know it's a high number, but I don't think it's quite 1000 guys.

Carl

I like the way you think... I was only looking at it from the narrow perspective of the PERP program. Clearly I have lots to learn. Is it possible to early retire outside of the PERP program without being on sick leave?

Indeed you can. You can retire early anytime you want outside of a PERP. However, if you are not on sick leave, you better be waiting by CNBC with your papers ready to fax to the retirement office, or risk paying the 2,000 per month for early retirement medical premiums after the DCC. Either that, or be sneaky as I mentioned earlier.

Carl

Carl,
If guys want to retire prior to DCC why not submit the retirement papers tomorrow? Why risk it by waiting for the last possible moment to get another month or two flying? Also, if hundreds of pilots all called in sick on the same day (DCC-1) wouldn't the **** hit the fan?

Scoop

An excellent question. Because they would not be entitled to the post merger equity if they put their papers in now. Not to mention missing those last couple months paychecks.

Oh MAN...will it ever!

Carl

That would be pretty risky. I think the subpoenas would also hit the fan.

Anybody who calls in sick in those few hours and then retires the next day, better have barfed up a lung in front of two doctors and a priest.

Why? nothing can stop someone from retiring. This isn't a prison camp ;)