Originally Posted by ATCsaidDoWhat

You have some good concepts, but some don't work with ACMI. If aircraft flew on a dedicated schedule then its a no brainer to say no extensions. However, when the customer controls the aircraft and potential reroutes or schedule changes, and you have the airplane on the other side of the world, extensions become a necessity. The issue is how to manage them as closely as possible.

As far as pay rates, the negotiation should be to increase the 747 rates and leave the current 747 rate as the new 767/777 rate.

One of the mistakes often made is trying to apply passenger and scheduled domestic service logic to a worldwide ACMI operation. It's like mixing apples and hand grenades. It is one of the problems the company faces on a daily basis with ground types who came from the domestic scheduled business and have tried to use that type of modeling with ACMI...like having crewbases. It doesn't work.

To get a better understanding of the different dynamics, you really need to understand what was AACS and how something like that could well impact the future.

There are ways to accomplish goals. One way not to is to assume that you are dealing with an airline management mindset. You're not. The management here was selected specifically because they did not come from the domestic airline revolving door. They understand logistics, supply chain and in fact can and will work with labor, provided labor doesn't walk in the door and act stupid (start thinking like domestic passenger airline groups). Do that and they will put up a wall. And if you understand the AACS scenario, you will understand that going stupid isn't the way to go.

There is a history here of two groups...one who opted to shove a hot poker in managements eye and one who stood their ground and worked for common ground. Again, understanding that dynamic will be imperative to future negotiations successes.