The ExCo is in talks of one sort or another on a daily basis. Friday, there were two conference calls, one trying to save a guys job. Those are all mini negotiations. Gateway improvements are in talks. Retirement is not. They are not talking about trading gateway for retirement. There, clear? Exactly what was said on the P2P call.
Now, to the question of an improvement package before 2016. It will have to make sense to the company to do that. Every $1,000 raise for us is a $1 mil hit to their bottom line. This year they have an estimated $75 mil profit for AAWW. We have to assume Titan is making money, because it's a simple dry lease. GSS is a loss. That leaves Polar and Atlas. Only the bean counters and management know what those two make.
As I said, in the "Real Atlas" thread, if a pay raise is required to man those planes, and the new work brings in less profit than it will take to give us an increase, it ain't worth it to them. Especially if it means more equipment, ie 777. I see little fixes, nothing more before 2016, unless the pilot shortage finally gets here. If the pilot shortage does arrive, then the company will have to run the numbers to see if a dry lease is a better deal for them. It is simple economics.
I'm still amazed at all the new people here, that left such great contracts to come here? All I hear about are the wonderful things they had in the previous carriers contract. Makes ya wonder why they left?