Possible but I think it’s mostly efficiency. Look at the 88 that had 0 trips under 3 days in the June bid package. That is a huge difference from 2016 and 2017. When you see the response to the RCC for 717 in ATL is that they can’t build 1 day trips that aren’t full of credit.

Ok im gona go out on a flyer and say the reduced number is the result of increased fleet reliability from MD retirements. :O

Lol...

Wouldn't that actually help though? Fewer broken pairings and mission critical rescue flights to get the completion, etc.

I think that was his point. You don't need to staff as many pilots for those rescue flights and covering for crews stuck with a broken aircraft at an outstation.

I had this discussion with a buddy of mine recently - is it possible that the company saw this coming for the past couple years knowing that negotiations for our next contract were coming and they preemptively started putting the "squeeze" on us? In another couple months will the carrots start dangling about "we can increase your pay, more airplanes, QOL, etc" but we have to start giving up things?

Just a thought

The company has been following their fleet plan almost exactly. Deliveries are coming mostly on schedule. There is no evil plan. Delaying hiring over the summer just pushes more hiring into when negotiations actually start to get serious if we actually even get to that point in the next few years.

given what is going on over on CC and some of the FB pages...my confidence in getting a TA anytime soon...

This has been the tactic at every airline I've worked for. Even TA 1 was supposed to relieve pain. 2012 the 717 was the carrot.

Just resolve there will be no exchange of 'value'.

If a neutral or net + in all sections cant be achieved in this economic environment we really are dupes.

Respectfully, if we refuse improvements in 27 sections of the contract because of a degradation in one section of the contract we might be dupes.

Any change in the contract should be viewed in totality. If it is a net positive we should accept it. If it is a net negative we should reject it. We would be well advised to make less emotional decisions regarding contract negotiations.