The way I understand it, the contract allows unlimited 50 seaters only.

The 255 hard cap currently existing allows a mix of 70 and 76 seaters.
In order for the company to bring on more 76 seaters they would first have to remove 70 seaters.

From what I understand they are completely maxed out on both 70/76 seaters, so a larger 76 seat aircraft order seems unlikely without this TA passing that permits the extra 70 airframes.

(if this is inaccurate in any way, I invite anyone to correct me)

I'm sure they probably have tentative deals for 76 seaters otherwise they wouldnt be pushing for them.

 

Thank you for that post. Seems most are unclear on that. 255 is the max period.

That is why management wants this so bad. They want more large RJ's ASAP. It's no big deal. Just long term mainline replacements that we can never get back. NEVER!

 

Currently, anything under 50 seats is unlimited.

Public math, 255+infinity is:
A. Less than
B. Greater Than
C. Equal to

450 Total DCI?

 

A. Less than the mainline jobs that would be lost by adding 70 more 76 seaters.

 

The answer to your question B.

Are you suggesting that the company may be considering adding 50-seaters (or less) to the DCI fleet?

 

Why is it so difficult to understand that DCI isn't going anywhere anytime soon regardless of what we tell the company we want because the company has contracts that have to be honored. Until those contract run their course, DCI will be here. So the best thing for us to request (as was done in this TA) is not to increase DCI beyond what is currently on the property, in fact it will be reduced. DAL will get sued to no end by DCI if it attempts to break those agreements early and that would suck for us! Our management was smart enough to negotiate with DCI an agreeable downsizing of total RJ's which will create more Mainline flying for DAL pilots. Isn't that what we want, more DAL passengers being flown by more DAL pilots? As those DCI contracts expire during future PWAs, we can negotiate for them not to be renewed but as for now, that is NOT going to happen.

Having 255 as a max right now is just simply not possible. More 50 seaters is very possible under the current. We give them more 70+ seaters, we get more mainline flying, the customers are happier, they keep coming back and bringing more to pay our paychecks, we continue to upgauge because a 70+ seater can no longer carry the loads, we continue to negotiate fewer RJ's over subsequent contracts, we raise ticket prices, etc... See where this is going?

Why are the regionals so big and powerful? Because we had no cap on the amount of flying they could perform for us if this TA gets voted down.

 

Management is all about making the company perform for the shareholders. If adding 50 seaters accomplishes that, they will do it under the current contract. If we vote the TA in, if they want it, it will have to be NEGOTIATED in which we will get something out of the deal should we agree to it. Right now we get nothing...zero. This TA puts us in a position for follow on NEGOTIATING i.e. leverage.

Ask USAir pilots how much the company needs them to cooperate in order to make a profit. Don't be a victim of the illusion of control. We need to put ourselves in a position to SHARE in the company's success not screw ourselves. We don't determine anything but our own fate.

50seaters don't make money on certain routes because the legs are too long. However, if a Southwest model is adopted, give me all the 50 seaters you have and I'll down gauge mainline, put pilots on the street, pay the 21 yr olds $19 per hour and laugh all the way to the bank! Think about it. Vote YES.

 

Your argument has no teeth and you know you are being ridiculous. You can buy phones like this for 50 cents at an antique store too. Why are people not still using them?

 

You haven't bothered to look at the 10 year charts for allowing more large RJ's to reduce 50 seaters vs we let 50 seaters die on their own have you?

 

Yes I have and letting them die on their own means no 717s or 717s flown by DCI. We will not win this one by voting this thing down. We have been given Plan A. Plan B is the one we don't want. The Company WILL execute its business plan and be profitable with or without us. It will just take them a little longer to do it without us. Business is not either, or. That's a fact,...ask the USAir guys.