Junior at NW/DL? Here's some CPS flowdown info.
12-17-2008, 10:08 AM
#101
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jan 2008
Position: DAL-S, B
Posts: 126
Originally Posted by acl65pilot
but if we see our loads off more than they are now, you will (IMHO) see DAL flush the CPZ list to save money. It will then, IMHO be populated with Delta folks.
If so, why is that? I thought the plan was to get rid of DC-9's and 747's... I've been trying to keep up with all of the latest rumors, but apparently there are too many Delta threads and I'm missing out...
12-17-2008, 10:20 AM
#102
Happy to be here
Joined APC: Jun 2006
Position: A-320A
Posts: 18,563
I use "Delta" to talk about both groups. If I was referring to a pre merger group it would be apparent.
We have announced a pull down of overall capacity. I know of the pre merger Delta cuts. There are going to be some NWA cuts as well. To date costs are too great to hand out pink slips. If our traffic keeps tanking that will change.
You will see some pre merger Delta a/c parked for the first quarter. It is planned to be temporary!
We have announced a pull down of overall capacity. I know of the pre merger Delta cuts. There are going to be some NWA cuts as well. To date costs are too great to hand out pink slips. If our traffic keeps tanking that will change.
You will see some pre merger Delta a/c parked for the first quarter. It is planned to be temporary!
12-17-2008, 02:06 PM
#103
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Apr 2008
Position: 757/767
Posts: 588
Originally Posted by JungleBus
I've been thinking about the fact that we stopped hiring at 320 people, and what it means. I alluded to this in my original post but never got around to talking about it. Management claimed they stopped at 320 because over the next year there will always be one plane in the paint shop, and there will be two spares. Well, the original plan of 360 pilots accounted for spares. I haven't heard that Delta is planning to give us less block hours than nwa was planning to; with the new capacity cuts to mainline I'd kinda expect the opposite to hold true. We're almost at 320 line pilots *now* and junior manning nearly daily with one or two planes left to be delivered.
Here at Compass we've mostly interpreted this to be typical redtail BS, and that R Coultier was simply blowing sunshine up our butts all along when he kept saying "have patience, we don't intend to run a short-staffed airline." The thinking goes that they'll run a short staffed airline as long as the flights get covered, whether that happens through people picking up trips or junior-manning.
But maybe there's a deeper method to the madness. Perhaps they're still intended on going to 360 pilots, but are stopping at 320 until Delta flows down the other 40? While that's certainly a small number, 40 would help a bit on the overstaffing at DL/NW, and it'd be essentially cost-free to send them to Compass since CPS would just be training them in lieu of newhires off the street. If Delta told them to hold off at 320 to prepare for some flowdowns, it would explain why they made the decision to stop at 320 so suddenly, even cancelling classes that'd already had newhires assigned.
If only 40 are flowed down, that's pretty close to a best case scenario. Then again that could just be the start.
Here at Compass we've mostly interpreted this to be typical redtail BS, and that R Coultier was simply blowing sunshine up our butts all along when he kept saying "have patience, we don't intend to run a short-staffed airline." The thinking goes that they'll run a short staffed airline as long as the flights get covered, whether that happens through people picking up trips or junior-manning.
But maybe there's a deeper method to the madness. Perhaps they're still intended on going to 360 pilots, but are stopping at 320 until Delta flows down the other 40? While that's certainly a small number, 40 would help a bit on the overstaffing at DL/NW, and it'd be essentially cost-free to send them to Compass since CPS would just be training them in lieu of newhires off the street. If Delta told them to hold off at 320 to prepare for some flowdowns, it would explain why they made the decision to stop at 320 so suddenly, even cancelling classes that'd already had newhires assigned.
If only 40 are flowed down, that's pretty close to a best case scenario. Then again that could just be the start.
The "original plan" called for 360 pilots, or put another way 5 crews per airplane. First of all, I've never heard anyone outside of HR say the original plan was to hire 360 pilots but lets go with this number... Five crews per airplane is excessive in comparison to the two previous companies I worked for, one of those companies was Comair, which we all know is a Delta Connection carrier. Regional airline "standard", at least in my experience is 4.5 crews per airplane. Multiplied out over 36 aircraft that's 324 pilots. In other words 320 is right almost exactly right.
There are about 25-30 FO's who should be trained in the next month. This isn't bad considering there is only one simulator, there was a total meltdown in HR and training withing the past three months, and the training program pretty much sucks to begin with. I think it's amazing Compass maintained any semblance of performance with the agressive delivery schedule they signed up for.
Anyway, my prediction is staffing will be "normal" in the next two months. PBS is coming which will make us all a little more productive (I don't really have an opinion on this, it's just fact), and there won't be a back log in the training pipeline. It's unfortunate the staffing issues are coming to a head during the holiday season, but I don't think they will last long. If staffing doesn't improve soon you can say "I told you so."
If I sound overly optomistic it's probably because my company immediately prior to Compass was Comair. Yes, I have to work Christmas and New Year's Eve but at least I have a job. There are a lot of people in this industry and in this country, in general, who, I think, would be happy to work the holidays if it meant a steady pay check.
Merry Christmas!
12-18-2008, 02:15 PM
#104
New Hire
Joined APC: Sep 2008
Posts: 5
Originally Posted by E1Out
Am I to understand that by "Delta folks" you mean RD's as opposed to the NWA-Delta folks?
If so, why is that? I thought the plan was to get rid of DC-9's and 747's... I've been trying to keep up with all of the latest rumors, but apparently there are too many Delta threads and I'm missing out...
If so, why is that? I thought the plan was to get rid of DC-9's and 747's... I've been trying to keep up with all of the latest rumors, but apparently there are too many Delta threads and I'm missing out...
The term Delta pilots is just being nice.
BE NICE!
12-18-2008, 02:35 PM
#105
Moderator
Joined APC: Oct 2006
Position: B757/767
Posts: 13,088
Originally Posted by E1Out
If so, why is that? I thought the plan was to get rid of DC-9's and 747's... I've been trying to keep up with all of the latest rumors, but apparently there are too many Delta threads and I'm missing out...
ACL? Any thoughts?
12-18-2008, 02:42 PM
#106
Underboob King
Joined APC: May 2005
Position: Guppy Commander
Posts: 4,412
Originally Posted by johnso29
I've yet to see or hear about these plans. I think the DC9s will be around until 2012, especially if oil stays below $70 a barrel. The 747-200s are a different story. I don't know how long we will hold on to those. JMHO.
ACL? Any thoughts?
ACL? Any thoughts?
12-18-2008, 05:26 PM
#107
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Feb 2008
Posts: 2,539
Originally Posted by Superpilot92
Per the 747-200 peeps, they say as long as fuel is below 100 a barrel they make money. fwiw
Take a look at any shipping futures index.
Oil could be free, and an empty freighter won't make money. A laden freighter with low yield won't make money even with cheap oil. Unless the world economy does a really quick U-turn, there'll be a lot of freighters out of work.
12-18-2008, 05:32 PM
#108
Happy to be here
Joined APC: Jun 2006
Position: A-320A
Posts: 18,563
Originally Posted by johnso29
I've yet to see or hear about these plans. I think the DC9s will be around until 2012, especially if oil stays below $70 a barrel. The 747-200s are a different story. I don't know how long we will hold on to those. JMHO.
ACL? Any thoughts?
ACL? Any thoughts?
744 have a planned retirement, but if we need the lift I am sure they will stay. They were planned to go sometime in the early to middle of the next decade. Not going to get more specific than that.
12-18-2008, 06:36 PM
#109
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Feb 2007
Position: SEA 7ER B
Posts: 108
FWIW I have seen the NWA 742 at Dover AFB and in Germany twice this past week on the military charter contract. It does look sweet!
Speaking of cargo ops. What is the plan for the NWA Anchorage cargo operation. I thought that was a huge money maker. Or is the word from the top still that "there is no money in cargo"?
Speaking of cargo ops. What is the plan for the NWA Anchorage cargo operation. I thought that was a huge money maker. Or is the word from the top still that "there is no money in cargo"?
12-18-2008, 06:48 PM
#110
Underboob King
Joined APC: May 2005
Position: Guppy Commander
Posts: 4,412
Originally Posted by slowplay
You may have gotten a correct answer, but it was to the wrong question.
Take a look at any shipping futures index.
Oil could be free, and an empty freighter won't make money. A laden freighter with low yield won't make money even with cheap oil. Unless the world economy does a really quick U-turn, there'll be a lot of freighters out of work.
Take a look at any shipping futures index.
Oil could be free, and an empty freighter won't make money. A laden freighter with low yield won't make money even with cheap oil. Unless the world economy does a really quick U-turn, there'll be a lot of freighters out of work.
