Delta today announced it is cutting Memphis flights again. Effective Dec 3, Delta to cutting back to about 40 flights per day. They are also closing the MEM flight attendant crew base.

Probably don't want to deviate much in this environment...sticking with scheduled trips is going to create a LOT of revisions the first time the flight out to EWR, ATL, or wherever hiccups. Probably a lot of SUB going to be going on...

For those of you with a closet interest in General Aviation, it may be time to scratch that itch. I've got to keep one eye on the weather, but the 2.5 hour commute from the Gulf Coast is actually one of the pleasures of work these days. A couple commuters sharing the cost of a Bonanza, 182, or Lance and a hangar at OLV, 01M, or Charles Baker might make the cost reasonable enough to consider. A nice Grumman Tiger is probably more fuel efficient than your pick up or SUV and fairly easy to maintain.

Albie, are you suggesting that some commuters form a flying club? If that's the case they need to start recruiting those of us who wear the civilian lanyards. Ya know dealing with non-towers ops, part 91 FAR's, etc.

Because us former military pilots don't know any of that stuff?

I'm in. Anyone want to jump in on a Gulfstream III or IV out of Denver. Should be about the same commute time as Albie is dealing with.

Just a little banter.

If you ain't tail-wheel, you ain't sh*t.

I like it! Let's get it as part of our travel bank or expense report!

I feel like I've heard something like this floated before, so I apologize if I'm being repetitive.

Since we're already at the table, perhaps our negotiators could address this potential bottleneck with the company and reach a mutually beneficial solution. Get them to acknowledge there aren't enough seat out of MEM to accommodate our crews (which we've all known for a while now). Rather than have us fix the problem every month by paying extra to deviate, how about a method to adjust the bank on trips with DHs in/out of MEM.

Maybe adjust the bank to cover the cost of, say, the average of actual ticket prices from the trip holder's staging airport to the final destination? Sure, there'll a few wickets regarding class of service, limits on staging locations, etc. Doesn't seem insurmountable to me.

Whoa there ke-mo sah-be you are making way too much sense. The company will attempt to put a dollar value on any convenience that the pilot group wants. Even if it is to their benefit scheduling wise as well as financial.