Originally Posted by
ShyGuy
Legacy versus a new LCC. Completely different apples to oranges comparison. You cannot compare a 53 airplane airline to a 700+ airline legacy. And IF you are going to do that kind of comparison, then find me the most junior Captain at Delta. Most junior CA at VX is a Feb 2010 hire, and this individual does better than a Feb 2010 DOH at Delta, who is bottom barrel reserve FO.
But you can't make that comparison because the scope is entirely different. 53 airplanes versus 700. A more realistic comparison is with other LCCs. Spirit has about 50 airplanes. Allegiant has around the same number, I think a little more. Frontier has around 55 airplanes. JetBlue is bigger at 150+, but still within the same scope. Compared to THESE airlines, which are representative of the flying VX does, VX is right in the middle of the pack, arguably right behind JetBlue.
Now compare all that to the regional level, where you are directly competing with other regionals, within the same size and scope of flying. All key regionals these days fly the same kind of RJs, in approx. the 100-250 airplane size, and are cutthroat competition with each other to secure flying. That is an entirely different animal in comparison. If Frontier takes a paycut, Delta management doesn't tell Delta to take a paycut or lose flying. However when 9E voluntarily takes a paycut, I guarantee you Delta will force SkyWest/ASA, XJT, GoJet and every other DCI carrier out there to match the new 9E or be forced cuts. It's YOUR colleagues who are now gloating about getting new CRJ-700 flying. All made possible due to the paycuts you took. This isn't even an example of throwing stones from a glass house. This is just pure stupidity trying to throw a baseless attack that isn't on the same scale. You want to compare VX, compare it to LCCs because that's what VX is. It is unrealistic to compare it to a 700 airplane legacy.
Your rates do put downward pressure on legacy airlines. You don't think it comes up in contract talks. Don't all regionals gloat about getting other flying. It was the case when comair shutdown. All over these boards everyone was gloating about more airplanes coming to there regional. Regionals where created to provide the cheapest feed possible.