Originally Posted by
Bucking Bar
In 1999 we heard a lot about how unqualified ASA and Comair pilots were.
I don't think its an issue of broad brush unqualified. Airlines, particularly DL, really really really like to select who they hire. Mergers (mostly...) are different in that (mostly...) the pilots are taken by default. That is in no reflecction a negative on their part, and once "acquired" even if "not hired" they should be treated the same with all lines erased, culturally speaking.
But pointing out examples where airlines have taken pilots because of a merger shouldn't completely eliminate the selection process. Theoretically every airline pilot in the world could be integrated into DL due to a merger. Does that mean we scrap the hiring process altogether and adopt a revolving door "open borders" policy of blindly taking anyone?
As for unity, should a pilot at a DCI only airline get an automatic pass to DL without any selection process at all, just because he/she is "flying DL pax?" If so, what about another pilot at a regional that flies for 3 or more majors? Should they get open borders to the entire industry, while the DCI only pilot is limited to one? What about an ALPA pilot that only flies for United Express, or a DCI pilot that's non ALPA, or non union?
I realize that if Richard Anderson creates an alter ego who can bid on our flying in 2015, then we are better off merging with them than letting them run as an alter ego.
You keep reverting back to this hypothetical. I share your concern on a philosophical basis, but do you really see this playing out, and if so how? There is nothing unique to PCL now versus what's happened in the past at DL WRT ASA and Comair, and even other non WO regionals regarding uniforms, product integration, etc. So what is so special this time that will create an unprecidented and potentially unlimited outsourcing beast beyond the outsourcing parameters we've already agreed to?
Although they would receive a heck of a windfall
If by 100% staple with no exceptions being a windfall merely because of the guaranteed carrer trajectory exceeding that of a stand alone ACMI provider in the land of endless regional "churn" then sure, you could definately credibly call it that. But there will be no pilot there who will get one day of seniority beyond new hire DOH at the time it happens, even if it happens. Even longevity and tertiary benefits (vaca/sick accrual, etc) would almost definately reset.
I'm just stating the historical truth ... in airline mergers the pilots of the merged carriers are usually assumed to be qualified, even if the hiring standards were vastly different. Sure, some pilots have enjoyed a windfall as a result of their incredible good luck. In this business being well prepared is important, but once you are in the seniority system, labor is labor.
Agreed. Although there is a lot to be said for "being wel prepared" and airlines, pretty much all of them, look for certain things in their potential employees. They will take employees they never vetted in the event of a merger (usually, though not always without limits) but they really like to select who they take. DL is particularly concerned about that; more so than most airlines, although they certainlly don't have the market cornered on being highly selective.
While we focus on the PCL interview/soft flow or whatever it is, its important to note that CPZ and original Mesaba guaranteed flows were capped and will be eliminated per DL management desire. The PCL interview/soft flow was nothing more than a zero cost bribe to achieve lower costs to continue the churn as well as to set up the next phase of it (SKYW "cost reset" in 2015, etc).
ANyway I'm just not seeing a unique PCL threat beyond the garden variety drag chute that is regional outsourcing. I don't want to minimize that at all, and I'm trying real hard to see the conspiracy in all this but I'm just not coming up with the magic bullet theory you keep hinting at. What is so unique, structure or even timing wise, about the PCL Wholly Owned situation that could lead to the downfal of our narrowbody existance?
And while you advocate a merger with them (and if it happend, a staple is the absolute theoretical service ceiling, period, no exceptions, and would have to be agreed upon up front before it would even be considered) for unity's sake, etc, if we would have to be so completely stupid as to completely gut our existing scope to get to the precursor theoretical point that caused the need to merge to survive to begin with, why would we then turn around and immediately become so enlightened 10 minutes later?
Its just not adding up, and I'm just not seeing the unique DEFCON threat level you are on this one. If you know something we don't, please share about how this one is different. I really want to be onboard if its true, and so do a lot of others I'm sure.