Originally Posted by
KillingMeSmalls
I read it a bit more and I think it's going to pass. I know you're on your quest to get industry standard, but you guys have to swallow that pill and realize you're not the top dog anymore. Industry standard would be great for a while, but it would send you right back into bankruptcy (or the threat of bankruptcy).
American is a great airline, but it can't compete with Delta or United. If the merger doesn't happen (which I personally think it won't) you'll be competing with Us Airways, Alaska, Hawaiian, ect for the teet of the DOT. I have no doubt you'll get awarded some new routes, but it'll be a while (20 years) before you could organically grow to the size of Delta or United.
As I said before, it's a hard pill to swallow. You guys deserve industry standard; you just don't deserve what will happen if you get it.
Why can't American Pay their pilots industry standard? There are guys out there flying 737 making more than widebody captains at the Legacy carriers! And they are a Low Cost Carrier. Stop letting management implant stuff in your head. If they shifted and extra 25 cents per seat per hr on a -80 to the pilots that would be $35 extra. 20 more for the Captain and 15 for the FO. IF the airlines collectively wanted to pay their pilots more they could raise ticket prices by a minuscule amount and be able to do so, but they want to drive cost down...
Yeah, and that's $35 less that the blood suckers would get. Keep dreaming.