The award (interesting choice of word) will be absolute itself, and every debate has absolutes. You can not alter the number of wb aircraft in your fleet and historically that has been the single biggest factor in deciding ISLs.


In recent history:

USAir/Am West, category/class/ratio
DAL/NWA category/class ratioed,
Pinnable/Mesaba/Colgan category/class DOH (that's the most recent ISL under the "new" ALPA merger policy).


You can argue that 767-400s are the same as 747s until you are blue in the face. You can debate career expectations until you are blue in the face. You can debate who had better financials until you are blue in the face, but remember USAir was on the verge of liquidation, they had zero career expectaion and they got category/class ratioed. Pinnacle bought Mesaba and Delta told Mesaba they were eliminating 75% of their fleet, they had zero career expectation, and still the arbitrators went with category and class and DOH. Turns out career expectations are really hard to quantify and adjust for, but category and class is really easy to count.


There are most definitely absolutes you can't alter, UAL had more WBs and longer longevity on average. Those are absolutes. Argue that CAL deserves credit for better future expectations all you want; it won't change the absolute facts.


But,


I could be wrong,


AND


it doesn't matter 'cuz the future is bright regardless or at least I like to believe so