Correct. It comes from a good source. They need the jets for summer, IMHO. They are just going to keep em out of the game "temporarily" from what I am told. Now if it becomes a long term thing. I am sure that you will see furloughs.

Can I play a game, since it is a blog?

With all of the new ER flying coming this summer (Japan/Guam, Sal Verde-Africa), given that the ER is way over staffed right now compared to everything else I see, given the shortage of 88 B pilots in ATL and reduction of 88 flying in NYC, could we see:

A) the company displace NYC 88 pilots into ATL 88, maybe even bring over any NWA pilots if there is vacancies and they volunteer (not even sure they have overstaffing on any category over there to make that feasible - I'm making this up mind you :D)

B) 767 pilots not into the 88 but into the ER just to make it through the summer ER flying as we increase flying off the west coast of the U.S. and Africa. I mean, call me dumb, but even with the overstaffing I just think about last year and how understaffed NYC and ATL were on the ER and now flying is increasing. And if the 767 reserve coverage gets low then some 767 flying becomes ER flying like last winter - and in a diabolical way you (DAL) move closer to merging the ER/domestic categories. And then wait and see how the SOC shakes out in the fall and move people accordingly.

C) Then in the fall of 2009, you have your first joint AE and now pilots can move around into more permanent positions then they would if you displaced them in January 09. Take me for example, lets say I'm displaced off the ER to the M88, I don't mind at all, I'd like to get some landings in :). But if I'm not frozen in the M88 and the A320 comes to town, I'd like to go over to it and what if I do hold it? That means the company paid for my 767 training, MD88 training and A320 training in short order. Or just keep me put on the ER and in the fall I can bid off if I see something more fun or be pushed off as the SOC kicks in- but its still only 1 training cycle.


D) And if Joe Biden is right, and there is a major terrorist attack in the U.S. or world (we are a major international carrier now) after January 21st, then all of this just goes you know where in a hurry.

What I am trying to do is think of how to minimize training cost before you have an onslaught of movement post SOC. I'm just playing a game, with your livelihoods.