DS,

I'm not sure if this answers your question, but when I was hired 15 months ago, I was given four choices of assignments, of which ANC MD11 was my last choice. In addition, I'm the fourth oldest in my class of 17, so one would conclude that I'd probably get my first choice.

Needless to say, since I was hired based on my good looks, I was assigned ANC, which again was my fourth choice.

So if you're good looking like me, start thinking about square dancing with the eskimos and playing shuffleboard with the bears.

FF

I heard it had nothing to do with your good looks; instead they're trying to comply with the affirmative action - not enough Floridians in Alaska... ;)

New rumor I just heard - displacements might be on hold for now until the company figures out how the DHL deal will affect the necessary crew force...

Now that's my kind of rumor!

Ditto!!!!!

The problem with that rumor is that it does not make any sense. Why wait to displace the 747 guys? They have no airplanes and are just sitting around. Displacing them or not has nothing to do woth DHL.

Just run !with it, this is UPS, it doesn't have to make sense

It also could be that without the Classic displacement, there will not be enough bidders to take all of the ANC 400 FO vacancies. I don't think UPS will let the probationary guys off the panel (as they are short of DC8 FE's), and there are only 13 non-probationary FE's for the expected 30 or so slots.

Roberto, please stop ruining my rumors... I posted it on APC so you know it must be true! ;)

Well, I'm not sure about the classic displacements but is it possible they'll choose to keep a few classics a while longer? Also, can they skip a displacement bid and post a vacancy bid instead? (DC8)

I heard that displacement bids might be on hold for now from a buddy of mine who was in training last week and overheard a couple instructors talking...

Then again, who knows what’ll happen…

I sure don't know what will happen, but am making guesses based upon what they've told me and some contractual limitations re. timing. I think UPS likes to couple a displacement bid with some vacancies, as theoretically that will help suck up some of the displacees. In the case of only ANC 400 FO vacancies, however, I don't see any classic guys going for them. And if they have some other vacancies, the 48 remaining upgradeable FE's will jump on them.

There is not a hurry, training wise, for the Classic displacement, as they plan on delaying training for almost all of them until the last 3 planes go away after peak.

They do have to get a bid out for the ANC FO's, in order to fill the July 28 class. If it is just a straight vacancy bid, they can wait until June 30 and still have enough contractual time to put someone in the July 28 class. With a displacement bid, a vacancy realignment bid must come out NLT Monday, June 16, to make that class.

We can end this guessing game within a week, and start the next guessing game immediately thereafter. At least with DHL, we have some more optimism in our guessing now.

My prediction: we'll get some United 747-400s and/or others to plus up the international routes thus freeing up the MD-11s to do more domestic. I think in many cities where you now have a UPS 757 or even A300 and a ABX DC-9 you'll see replaced with an MD-11.