Amen, I agree 100%. That is why even though I am near the bottom here at DAL I KNOW this deal needs to go through no matter what. Even with all of the negatives that are attached to doing such a transaction!

I admit right off I've never flown part 121. I'm glad I don't at this point with all the industry turmoil. Is cabotage considered inevitable? With fuel costs what they are, eventually even hedging can't mitigate the effects. The only area that has appears to have any place left to cut costs is in labor. Why would anyone allow a practice where foreigners can come in legally and essentially work for less money. Also, would European airlines have an advantage in purchasing fuel by using a currency such as the Euro that may be stronger at any given time than the dollar. Obviously I'm not an economics major. I can't imagine how the airline industry will look in 10 years.

I actually feel that this could play out in the next two years if fuel prices remain at this level. There is no access to the liquidity markets for airlines. Our Congress sits prostrate on the hill at what is happening and are more concerned with prices going up and regional service going down.??? I just want to scream at our illustrious politicians and ask how the F*$% is an airline supposed to make money if we cannot raise prices as our costs go up and you tax nearly 50% of the price of a ticket in some cases. This is worse than the sin taxes on cigarettes and liquor.

While they debate the evils of our industry and the employees we continue to bleed. The foreign carriers have the money and they cannot allow us to go under. As a result, faced with the demise of UAL, AMR, DAL, etc., what choice will Congress have but to allow them to buy us. Failure to understand this is like being on Midway Island and thinking Pearl Harbor doesn't matter to you. That battle is over. The fleet is now coming to you even though its just out of sight on the horizon. I'd rather try and blend DAL/NWA then integrate AF/KLM with us.

sailingfun,

NWA did not structure the DC plan this way. We negotiated a follow on DC plan after our DB plan was frozen. The DC plan was 5% (I think). After the contract was signed, NWALPA decided that the DC plan would be taken from the senior pilots and given to junior pilots. NWA has nothing to do with how the DC plan monies is paid out because our ALPA made that decision.

But you can go ahead and continue to think that it is fair that NWA pilots be paid less than Delta pilots after the merger. As I said before - I think that is a minority view. If the roles were reversed, it would be fun to watch you scream bloody murder though.

Carl

I will be very surprised if that were to happen.

You need a new shtick, Carl. You sound like a broken record. You should probably spend your time dealing with the current situation and not some alternate reality.

How come, whenever you hear the DAL MEC talk about the merger, it's about what they can give to the NWA pilots and make them "whole." I've never heard anything from DALPA about specific gains they want for DAL guys. Have you?

And whenever you hear the NWA MEC talk, it's only about what they can gain (or take) from the merger. You never hear NWA's MEC talk about teamwork or bettering both pilot groups. Only about how to take more for their own.

Eye-opening comparison, isn't it?

Carl,

Let me get this straight. Your current payrates are "roughly" 10% less than ours. Let's just assume you reach parity over three years.

So, as a result of LOA19, I get raises of 5,4,4,4 and you'll get something like 10,7,6,4 and you're saying YOU are the one coming out on the short end? Please explain.

And after you explain that, try explaining why under any reasonable SLI it is fair for many DAL pilots to lose relative position in their base. Why? Look at the stats; many more NWA pilots commute than DAL pilots. Thus, we can conclude that the NWA bases are less desirable. Therefore, after the merger, logic would dictate a migration to DAL bases, meaning a loss of relative seniority in base (which is all that actually matters) for the DAL guys.

Oh, and after that, lets talk about that under funded DB plan....

Gee, I can't wait.....

Pineapple

How can that happen? Wouldn't that be a scope violation after merger? One group gets paid less than another, all same airline? Don't see how that works---unless its in a signed transition agreement.

haven't you guys already got your gain? LOA19? how can nwa take "more" when they haven't gotten anything yet. only you guys have.

weren't both pilot groups bettered by the original joint contract but your mec walked away and delt with your management alone. I wouldn't call what your mec did as teamwork. it may work out in the end but it definately wasn't teamwork.

If you want an eye-opening comparison just reverse the scenario. I'm sure you would be livid.

can you explain why a delta pilot wouldn't want nwa at the same pay rates on day one. what gain or lose it there to the delta pilot by keeping their pay below yours during some harmonization period?