I'm with jayray - I don't get this whole overstaffed by 100 stuff. There were about 60 newhires slated for class between January 5th and sometime in June. So no, the Jan class that was canceled was not the last one. The majority of the FOs required to staff 10 of the 15 planes hadn't even started class. I realize however, that newhires between early Sept and December were also hired for the 15 900s in addition to probably some attrition as well as backfilling vacated spots due to upgrades. In the end, the numbers really didn't add up for 117 planes unless they were just planning on being overstaffed or that something else was/is in the works.

 

I agree, either you front load to stay properly staffed during the growth and end up overstaffed in the end or you back load and run very short for a while at the end til everyone gets done with training. I suspect we shut off the pipes somewhere in between....

 

Contract or not I will complain about RR.
I never even heard about it until I upgraded. After some investigation the SAAB was getting RR irregularly since I was hired in '03 in the AVRO.

I think the over staffing is a combination of having a few extra crews from a whole 1 MONTH hiring frenzy for an unexpected 15 planes.

I also know that the training center was talking pretty confidently about a big increase in block hours starting in the fall. I know I am flying less if anything has changed.

I suspect that management doesn't want to get on the backside of the crew equation like Pinnacle, especially when the bloodletting has not really started. So with an expected increase in block PLUS 15 extra airplanes gets management nervous about being short on crews. So the double whammy of less block and 10 less aircraft, puts us slightly fat on the crew side.

If it was going to get really dark I suspect that we could have gone the same way as Comair where they were furloughing immediately after they just hired over 100 people.

I think it is actually a very positive thing that the company is moving somewhat carefully about trying to keep a certain staff level. I admit that having over 700 guys below me is more than comfortable, but I don't think the musical hiring is finished.

 

Our hiring frenzy for the extra 15 planes began at the end of August with a panic and ended at the end of December when the announcement was made we'd only get 5 more 900s and everyone slated for class (60) was put into a pool.

Back to RR... I was surprised as everyone else was when they started using it again. As much as I hate doing it, it's still hard to get angry over something that is perfectly legal, in the contract and fair game. Channel that energy into fighting the legitimate contract violations that actually occur.

As for dark days happening again... there is always a reason to be beaten with the stick. In our past they actually had legitimate (to them) reasons to beat us with the stick (9/11, contract '04, NWA bankruptcy, our bankruptcy, being a senior workforce etc...) They have none of those reasons now, because we're on the backside of being kicked around for 6 years. We're in a position they actually want us. Lean, junior, cheap, efficient and reliable.

 

Efficient and reliable??? Have you seen the DTW ramp? Just wait til the new weight and balance procedures kick in next week. I put the D0 % over/under at 38% with that procedure....

 

I think there will be an initial learning curve... but it'll work. There is really is only 2 extra steps to take before the door closes and thats to get the bag card and pax count from the ramp and FA. Everything else is done after the door closes. Pinnacle does something similar and their D0 is as good or better than ours.

 

I suppose.... But I do guess you don't see DTW (and it's VERY lazy/understaffed ramp)often. Remember what happened when the Saab cargo door memo came out? Our D0 went to about 45% immediately and stayed there til they recinded it. How is this any different? Going to have to wait til the bags (especially all those darn gate checks we have now with people trying to get around the $25 checked bag fee) are loaded and counted to get the slip from ramp. Maybe it's different in MSP on the 200s but DTW on the 900s you're lucky if they have even started loading the gatechecks by departure time. And it wasn't much different when I was on the Saab most of the time.

 

If you guys are doing the same thing we are now its really not that bad, you will have to sit in the holding pad from time to time waiting for numbers but overall they have got a lot better. We will make room for you in the holding pad! By the way XJ guys, are you wanting NWA back already because I am. It might not have been good all the time and its unfortunate that we have to compete against each other, but i would rather have a respectful relationship with you guys than to constantly be threatened against 6 other regionals in this game of DCI chess. When you guys got the 900 i thought for sure they were going to grow it the way they did the 200 for us, I thought it was going to be a huge aircraft order. Now every DCI carrier has a 76 seat jet, oh well. I hope you guys don't furlough again.

 

The Delta culture is more respectful/work together and less kick you while you are down but on the downside there is more whipsaw/chess games with airplanes. I'd say neither is a very good way to live.
Southwest was the best with everything in house, but it looks as if even there outsourcing is becoming a reality.

 

Don't forget the "Delta culture" is now the "NWA Culture." Something like 7 of 10 executives are NWA folks that have just changed the name on their business cards to Delta.