Originally Posted by
gettinbumped
I can appreciate those thoughts. Overall, I think the goal is to have more Widebodies, but certainly there is a benefit to getting an earlier upgrade on a NB. I don't know how it is on the LCAL side, but the LUAL side seniority for WB F/O's is pretty equal to NB CAP. The money is better on the narrowbody, but the QOL is much better on the WB, so it seems to split folks down the middle.
Pre-UPA payscales drove some differences in the two groups. Our 737 pay on the -8/900s (most of the fleet) was only about 12 percent below WB pay, so while the QOL was generally better on the WB, the pay difference was significant between WB FO and NB captain. As a broad generality, commuters stayed as WB FOs longer, but locals left for the money of the 737 left seat. At LUAL there was generally no pay difference, so why go to the NB left seat? The UPA payscale changes that, bringing the pay between WB FO and NB captain closer together for LCAL and farther apart for LUAL, so I think you'll see LUAL pilots leaving for the left seat sooner and LCAL WB FOs staying in the WB longer.
By the "merger date", which one are you using to determine that LUAL pilots will push LCAL pilots out of their seats? I can see that being a concern for sure, but from our perspective there are 3 years of upgrades (some of them 2006 hires) who will not be flushed, and will continue to hold that seat even though they couldn't have dreamed of it in 2010. So certainly both sides have their frustrations and concerns.
I was talking about 2010. I understand the concerns about LCAL growth in the interim.
Anyway, looking forward to putting this in the rearview.
Agreed