Pinnacle FO,

Consider what management is trying to achieve here. They want to take another swing at destroying the longevity system which has been the time honored way our profession has rewarded experience. More experienced pilots fly more productive equipment and get paid more. Presumably that's the reason I get paid more than you for similar work.

I am posting this on the "mainline" thread because mainline pilots need to be aware of these trends. We all need to know our history. Delta acquired "regional" airlines and learned that pilots don't need a legacy contract, legacy rest scheduling rules and legacy pay to get pilots to operate an airplane safely. As bankruptcy approached Delta, management knew what it could get away with because management was already operating two other airlines with "regional" contracts.

This is why what happens to you, and Comair, applies to us. ALPA can not complain something is "unsafe" or "unfair" at one airline when at an alter ego subsidiary they accepted the practice for competitive reasons.

Just remember that pilots don't buy airplanes. We don't earn enough (particularly true in your case). Surely Comair's example frightens Pinnacle pilots, but consider their history. Comair took concessions to take ASA's flying during the previous decade, then more concessions to save their own neck. The age of their fleet and management inefficiencies took them out anyway.

Your pilot group will do better by steering a straight course through this storm, you can't out run it with concessions. Pinnacle's fate is up to mainline carriers' fleet plans, including possibly American's. I'm optimistic for you, but acknowledge little of what mainline management does on the small jet level makes strategic sense.

Perhaps the most sensible way to do an airline is to fly you own airplanes. Hope to see you at a mainline carrier flying passengers who's tickets have the same name on them that your paycheck has printed on it soon.