Daytripper

Read it and weep fellow cal pilots.........barely covers retirements.
58 capt. slots on the 737 system wide??? That's it? Expect more of those request for Jr. manning.....especially this summer. I wonder if it's to reduce the furlough fodder resulting from a merger?

757Driver

Good thing we voted in POS '02 and PBS. I hope all of you "Yes" voters choke on the news.

flyboy1987

As an "M" number very happy to be here (but unable to vote), I sincerely hope all of you guys that can vote will tell them "HELL NO" to any "amending/extending" Contract '02!!!

Ottopilot

137 projected retirements in the next year? That sounds low.

392 vacancies: 142 CA and 250 FO. They said they were hiring more than 392 this year. What happend?

I guess I'm not going to hold 737 CA after all.

edik

Otto,
it did sound WAY to nice to hold a CA with a legacy w 3.5yrs of service. Your time will come

CALFO

Most of the retirement of 2007 were already accounted for in the last bid. This bid truly reflects August, 2007 through January 15, 2008.

Regarding the comment about slowing hiring to reduce furlough fodder, that doesn't make sense. For starters, airlines are going to staff for pilots as they need them with little regard to future furloughs. Secondly, even if a merger is announced, you're looking at a couple of years before complete integration. In the meantime, CAL would have to continue with it's current business plan just in case the merger falls through (similar to the USAir and United deal that fell apart).

This bid is simply a reflection of zero aircraft delieveries. It shouldn't be a surprise to anyone.

A320fumes

252 retirements in 2007. U should still get it on the next bid Otto, even if the next bid drivers are as bad as this one.

Daytripper

It wouldn't........until you went through a merger...and got furloughed.
Been there...done that.

I guess the 2 777's were contingent on the China route. You can have growth without new aircraft. Last I heard, there was a 5 to 8% increase in block hours for '07. With capt. vacancies equalling retirements......it's simply a bid that lets you know you'll be working harder in '07.

CALFO

Daytripper,

I'm not saying that a merger won't lead to a forlough. I'm simply stating that Management doesn't really care. Do you honestly think that they would hire less pilot because they want to avoid a future forlough?

Regarding the 777's. As I recall, those positions were bid in the last perm bid as they are scheduled for delivery in early 2007.

Daytripper

Those that have been around awhile can remember the near "superbowl surprise" from a few years back with Delta. Bethune nixed the deal because all of the overage,(about 5000 emp.) would have been cut from CAL.
This brings up 2 points. First, if a backroom deal was happening, the employees would be the last to know. Second, if a merger was announced, it needs to be "sold" the the emp. group. And it's an easier sell when you don't have to furlough very many people. My gut feeling is that this DAL,LCC thing has legs.......and you know all that that implies. I did however, start that statement with, "I wonder". Which means I was think aloud. I guess I'm really frustrated because I feel I'm the only one who's NOT volunteering for vacation fly-throughs and drinking the kool-aid from the Jr. Manning trough. The very things that keep our schedules so crummy.