During door training today, we asked our instructor what the latest words around TK are regarding fleets. Here's what he said he learned after talking to a guy in fleet planning:

- Total of 50 Airbii on their way (all 319s). Will be used to supplant RJ flying as well as take over some Guppy flying into Latin Am where they're weight limited. He also mentioned some Caribbean flying as well.

- More 787 orders will be converted & 30 new 777-300s on their way. He indicated there won't be a long lag between first delivery and the final delivery.

Take it for what its worth...

50? Shades of the Toulouse ramp. Lmao.

Hope the rumor is true...

50 Airbii and 30 777-300's???

I don't think those numbers are even close.

We ordered 10 777-300's.

The Airbus order is about half of what you heard (and that's if the first few end up being OK).

Bored PI's.

I'm all for getting new airplanes be it buses or guppies, but my concern lies for the 90-110 seat jets? Until we get the 90-110 seat frames on the property, the camel's nose is still under the tent wrt to the regionals.

I somewhat disagree. While the threat is always real, it would take US to give it up. I hope that we don't have greedy and short-sighted pilots on our property that would agree to such a thing. Management cannot impose that violation of our CBA on us. We already have "industry standard" Scope that prevents that type of flying from being done by anyone other than United Pilots.

Yes, it is for "us" to give it up. My concern is "us" might not be UAL pilots. If history is any guide in mediation, other airline contracts do influence ours. Just ask Linda Pachula. Until those frames are flown by UAL pilots, the threat is always there.

Based on the number of pilots they have hired the last year, and continue to hire, I would predict they are planning on putting smaller airframes at the mother ship. I am not sure what size airframe.

The regionals can't hire, so putting these jobs at the mainline makes the jobs more attractive. Hiring them from the regionals at new hire longevity is cheaper and easier than buying the regional and merging pilots at their regional longevity.

Just a guess.

Concur. Hiring far in excess of retirements, so more metal in store...either more big (777) and/or "small." Whether that is 319, 737-700, or E175/195 is the question.

Two years ago I scoffed at a looming "pilot shortage." Now I wonder if the RJs can survive another 18 months due to limited applicants, and crew shortages due to refugees fleeing to the Majors.