You're absolutely right, there is no actual cap. We're just a MOU/LOA away from another release. Or for that matter, a little inaction, like our not defeating RAH under the current contract.

I realize that this TA reduces the number of DCI seats and airframes. Aren't the ASM's roughly the same though? In other words fewer seats are actually equivalent to the same available seat miles?

As an outsider that flys 76 seat jets with Delta painted on the side, I would much rather have those airframes at Delta, even if the pay scale stinks. It would certainly be better to have the Delta work rules and benefits, but the real thing would be the career progression. I don't like always looking over my shoulder, waiting for the next sham regional bankruptcy or to be underbid by the next blowjet. I know the primary focus of your contract negotiations has to be what is best for you guys, but don't forget that what you do here has an effect on thousands of others that don't work for Delta.

Posted this question in the latest and greatest, but nobody answered.

Pinnacle’s bankruptcy underlies growing weakness of US regional carriers | CAPA

why would Delta finance and extend the contract until 2022 for 142 CRJ200's at Pinnacle? My guess is so they can swap them out 2:1 to get the CRJ9's at pinnacle with a new cut rate crew cost. 142/2=71 so it makes sense to me. They're using this in my opinion to make it look like a scope win and this was their plan all along. These CRJ2's could have just gone away at this point.

BINGO !!! People are finally starting to get it.

These new 76 seaters are going to be with us for a much longer time.

Economics has sentenced the 50 seaters to death. Even RA is on record admitting it.

So why would you want to keep RJs around longer, giving them newer shiny new jets?

Oh yeah, so we can get used 717s that nobody wants. Nevermind. :rolleyes:

That's why I said you can tell they management is lying by the lack of a sunset/expiration in the large RJ's. They want a permanent fleet of outsourced large RJ's with mainline CASM and turnkey profitability. 70 and especially 90 seaters are long term career killers that will never, ever go away. 50 seaters are very costly place fillers and are self expiring. No wonder they want to make a trade.

+1
We are making the threat of DCI more long term now. Replacing worn out POS planes with new ones that passengers love. Most passenegrs cannot tell the difference between a EMB175 and a 737. They hate the little cramped 50 seaters. We are giving them mainline similar airplanes...brand spankin new. Come on people...DCI is turning into mainline but without our pilots!

And while everyone is talking about fewer seats at DCI that is the thing that actually kills this deal. By trading profitable 76 seaters for 2.7 UNPROFITABLE 50 seaters then DAL will be able to meet the new block ratios without growing mainline (and in actuality shrinking mainline). Once again, we're negotiating ourselves right out of a job.

http://www.lynchbuslines.com/small_bus.jpg

http://www.wisoveg.de/bve/sichtungen...03/doppel2.jpg

Seems like a fair trade. Especially since the old little one needed an engine overhaul and tranny change. I was going to park my fleet of them anyway but wait, I am being allowed to replace these little, worn out ones with these bigger more efficient ones with premium seating? Seems fair to me. Thanks guys!

- Management

Regionals started as small turbo props, and it was because pay was associated with number of seats that pay was low, not because they were turbo props. As I recall, large turbo props were once flown by mainline. Today, the Q400, a 70+ seat turbo prop, flies all over the place for pay much less than that of an equivalent 70+ seat jet. Not only is it a regional aircraft now, but it is a turbo prop, so the pay gets a double whammy. Pay has somehow shifted from number of passengers carried to also look at the power plant used. What a scheme by management to further reduce pay.

In the mean time, regional jets grew from 35 seats, to 50 seats, to 76 seats, to 99 seats (Republic, sorry to have screwed the pooch on this one). And every time some argument was used with some imaginary cap on number of planes allowed. You limit the number of regional planes with 50 seats in them, and of course the word jet is applied, not aircraft, so now there are 50 more large, just as comfortable, turbo props flying around for you because you made an arrangement with management.

Delta pilots, I implore you, please do not make the mistake of allowing more large jets, turbo props, or 76 passenger gliders, balloons, etc, to be flown by regionals. Delta is not gonna keep those 50 seaters until 2024. Those f...ing things won't last that long. They are already falling apart. Customers hate them. They are loosing money by flying those things.

Do you really think you are winning by swapping 200 of them now for 70 more larger RJ's? Or do you think that the cap is real THIS TIME ;)

I fly for this POS operation called Republic, and I am trying to get out with all my might. Just for me, please don't allow them to get more flying. Please, don't fall for the BS that you are reducing the number of DCI seats. You would simply be swapping a ****ty RJ, one customers hate, for a really nice RJ, a brand new RJ, one customers really like.