All the old staffing guys who were putting out those pre-SLI vacancies are gone. Civitello and Papaleo are LUAL crew planners. They run staffing now.

 

Recently they have trained some elder UAL guys to the guppy left seat from lateral pay UAL capt seats. These folks won't even have to take a PC next year due to being that close to 65. They clear aren't acting like they care about training costs.

 

Does it look like the plan is to shrink DEN? (total overall mainline flying, not talking about 73 vs. 76t)

 

They are massively shrinking Denver.

 

Any bets on when we lose the B concourse?

 

Naw. They will just add RJ's to the rest of the gates. Ops Normal here at UAL!

 

Like they said, if it wasn't for the RJ's, we wouldn't be in business.

 

I have listened to Howie and his double speak about Denver for years now. One day we are going to grow Denver, then we are going to shrink Denver, then Denver is no good as a base, then we are going to have massive growth in Denver.

The latest was huge growth on 737 in Denver. Which actually meant add 50 or so 737 positions and delete 350 "other" pilot positions in base. Old Howie is a wascally widdle company mouth piece. Truly, Jeffy's personal little Baghdad Bob..

 

Hoss,

I gather the senior bumps will stay in DEN. Do you sense others will also bump to equip in Denver, or will they spread out to other domiciles?

 

That is the 64 million dollar question.

Here is my thought. You've got a core group who will never leave Denver no matter what. Some of those folks are the very senior people on the 76T and the 320 in either seat. They will ride it out in Denver being Denver based, period, it doesn't matter what they have to fly to do it. I reckon some super senior folks will take this opportunity to snag a wide body captain bid. I figure some will take a lateral and be senior on the 756 somewhere but the senior hardcore, Denver skier, outdoors men, love Colorado folks are staying.

Guys in the middle of the pack on the 76T F/O seat will probably mostly take a captain bid where they can hold a line.

In my seniority range guys will be on the fence. I am in the 7600ish system seniority range and a 1997 hire. I'd really like to upgrade to something for monetary purposes, either the left seat or a wide body right seat, HOWEVER in either case I am right on the cusp of holding a line. I WILL NEVER commute reserve again. I'd rather scrub my armpits with broken glass and lemon juice than do that to myself again. So I am on the fence, I've got a kid starting college and another right behind her, so I could use the money but I won't commute reserve and after the stuff settles I won't be able to hold anything in Denver other than the right seat on the 737. I'd like the luxury of not getting bumped for a couple of cycles to see if I will be able to remain a line holder or if I am going to be solid reserve as a 737 cap at the various bases. If reserve is guaranteed I'll probably just bump to the right seat of the 737 until with no freeze until I can move on somewhere.

That's my $.02 on the deal and it's probably not worth the $.02 I am charging for it.......