Hiring numbers: How many flights are you seeing cancelled due to lack of crew?

PR control: I haven't heard much bad PR since the summer so hopefully that mess got fixed.

FA combining: Well see what happens in OCT. It took DL 5-6 years to get their FAs fully merged too.

TK mess: They are putting out the fire. Thats why only 9 new hires instead of 65. Otter said a lot of instructors are out flying to get there 2017 fly days. In JAN they start with a clean slate and better ability to plan.

A350 Delays: We bought 18 777-300s instead.....dont see a problem here. We didn't even cancel the A350 order there are 55 still on the books.

161 Guppies no one likes flying: So we are behind because you don't like the 737? I don't like the MD-80 and DL has 170 of them I guess they are WAYYYYY behind. AA too.

PAX complaints about the 737: Other than Flyertalk and airliners I have never heard 1 single passenger complain about a 737. I have heard them complain about how hot it is because our captains can't seem to figure out how to use the APU......but that isn't an airplane problem thats a cultural problem.

FA complaints about flying the 737: Who cares? we complain too but we still fly it. As much as we want to be involved having a 30 year fleet plan based around the FAs and pilots will never happen.

We seem to be behind the curve: Since 2012 we have taken delivery of:

A319: 11
A320: 2
737-700: 4
737-800: 11
737-900: 102
777-300: 14
787-8: 12
787-9: 22

Thats a total of 178 new aircraft in 5 years, an average of 3 new aircraft a month for 5 years.

48 new WB aircraft in 5 years, an average of just under 1 new WB a month for 5 years.

Next year we start taking delivery:

The first of 161 737-MAXs
The first of 14 787-10s
The last 4 777-300s
The last 3 787-9s
15 A319s

Are we really falling behind????

 

Ya but still..

 

Stop trying to win the argument with facts. Go back to name calling!

 

Fact: Company closes IAH 787 then announces IAH-SYD route on a 787 that can only be flown from that base. Company reopens base.

Fact: Departments in company don't talk to each other.

Fact: Hiring is on the end of a whip, so hiring estimates change frequently.

Fact: Pilots want certainty, which isn't possible at UCH.

 

The max10 isn’t even a real airplane, it’ll be a Rube Goldberg of 50 years of patchwork, the 321NEO will still kick its ass in every measurable way, and that airframe still has room to grow.

 

How does “room to grow” matter to us? We have Airbus and 737. If Airbus comes out with a 322NNEO in 5 years and there’s no Max11 competitor we can buy 100 322NNEOs and it’s not going to rock our world. In the mean time the Max10, for all it’s faults, will still work well within its capabilities, which aside from the retro cockpit, mean it will work fine enough.

 

Where is certainty in the airline industry other than you need to understand that it is an uncertain business? You want certainty you best get out of this business.

 

I would be happy to take all the crap you have to deal with at UAL. APP on file since 2010, UAL will always be my #1. 11 years CRJ here and let me tell you about crap. The number 1 airline today won’t be forever, it all changes. Fleet wise you are much more efficient than the competitors. What if oil were 150 a barrel right now. Delta would be crying and you would be bragging about the new boat with the profit sharing check. Just my opinions.

 

You’re hired. When can you start?

 

Exactly! We have first world problems. Our brothers and sisters still locked in Regional Pilot purgatory would love to have our problems.