ryane946

http://news.moneycentral.msn.com/tic...ymbol=US:DALRQ

NEW YORK (AP) - Delta Air Lines Inc., which has been operating under Chapter 11 bankruptcy, on Tuesday said it is soliciting proposals for its regional jet service as part of a restructuring effort to build a more cost-competitive network.

The request for proposals includes flying opportunities for up to 143 regional jets -- flights currently handled by Comair, Chautauqua, Shuttle America and Freedom Airlines. The routes include Delta hub cities such as Atlanta, New York and Cincinnati.

Delta said the proposal request is for 43 70-seat regional jets; up to 50 50-seat regional jets and up to another 50 76-seat aircraft that provide a first-class section.

Over-the-counter shares of Delta fell a penny to 70 cents in midday trading.

SkyHigh

Undercut the little guy.

I am sure that someone will offer to do the flying for less. The results most likely will be pay cuts for regional pilots. I am sure that other airlines will follow suit and put out to bid their feeder routes as well.

SKyHigh

Ottopilot

This is nothing new; it's been happening for years.

Eric Stratton

and ALPA will do nothing....

RedeyeAV8r

I am not exactly sure what you think ALPA is capable of.

Their primary purpuse is to Negotiate and Administer contracts.

They have secondary roles as well.

Defend Pilots in diciplinary proceedings
Help Pilot with Aeromedical issues
Promote Aviation safety
- They Play a Big Role in this area

If you Support the PAC
- They play a major role is Lobbying in DC on aviation related issues

ALPA cannot perform Magic............

I wish they could pull a rabbit out of the hat and Make all this bad stuff disappear............but that ain't reality.

Imagine what life as a Professional Pilot would be without ALPA.

You probably wouldn't want the job anymore.

Utah

More than likely some of the flying will change hands. The ones who can do it cheaper will probably prevail at this point. 5-10 years down the road, these same companies will have higher costs and be undercut by another regional that can offer a lower price. For anyone thinking about staying at a regional carrier this is the nightmare you'll face for the rest of your carrier. The regionals with the better contracts, Comair and Express Jet are getting smaller.

rickair7777

Mesa's performance in the NE has been so bad that I would be amazed if they didn't lose some flying in this scenario regardless of cost.

It doesn't matter how cheap you are if you don't have airplanes and/or pilots. Maybe we're about to find out just where rock bottom actually is...I suspect mesa is already a few feet below.

Billy32

This is what just sucks about the industry. I could be perfectly happy at a decent regional, flying a RJ around for the next 25 years. I could live fairly comfortably off of 75-80 grand a year. The problem though, is that the regional you pick will most likely not be here in 25 years. I would hate to invest 15 years in a regional, then have to start over at 48 years old. In my opinion the pay isn't too bad, the work isn't too bad, but the stability sucks. At least in the past, if you got on with a Major they paid enough to make the risk worth it. Regional pay is only worth it if you can count on making top pay for 10-15 years without being downsized.

Ottopilot

ALPA doesn't do anything. The pilots in ALPA do. What can they do about agreements between the airlines and codeshare regionals? Nothing. Pilots fly and businessmen do business. Pilots can negotiate scope clauses to help protect flying. Limit the number of jets and/or the seats in them. Keep the good jobs at the major and give the regional pilots a chance at the job at the major. Too many regional jobs means fewer major jobs for everyone.

Eric Stratton

Redeyeav8er and ottopilot

ALPA has no problem loosening scope clauses and continuing/adding to the whipsawing. unlimited 50 seaters. 9-11 happens and the airlines start laying off people. What do the unions do but loosen scope to 70-90 seaters and increased #'s of 50 seaters. this adds to the further whipsawing and more job loses instead of holding to the scope clauses in place and demanding that these types of airplanes be flown at the majors. (nothing prevented these airplanes from being flown by the majors except our pilots egos) delta gave up 70 seaters to get the big contract that they had and look what happened. they have now taken pay cuts and they didn't get the 70 seaters back with those concessions did they. like my friend says "once the tooth paste is out of the tube there is no putting it back in". I have even now heard/seen that continental pilots (another ALPA carrier) are discussing whether to give up 70 seat flying. why not just give up the 777 flying instead I'm sure some of the regional guys would love to fly that. but that would affect ALL the pilots on the seniority list while 70 seat planes would only affect the most junior pilots. pilot's only think about what affects them and they only look forward and not behind. this is where ALPA has drastically dropped the ball. they have allowed all of this to happen.

when I started flying, all jet flying was done by the majors. hell even 2 years before that northwest was still flying turboprops (convairs) sp. who gave up all these airplanes since then? we all know management has always wanted to because that is why there is scope in the 1st place but ultimately is was the pilots which are ALPA.