Originally Posted by
eaglefly
My only question then is what's the plan for 2020, when we're even more bankrupt of desirable goodies, more fragmented and twice as weak and vulnerable ?
I know what my plan is, what's yours ?
The most honest answer I can give you is this. Whatever you think the airline landscape will be, you are wrong.
When I started my flying career Eastern was a fresh corpse, as well as Braniff, TWA was mortally wounded, Pan Am as well. Continental looked awful. Less than a decade before they were the powerhouse players in the business.
Had this discussion come up prior to 9/11 I would agree with you. Given world events and your stated hire date with AA you fall in the category of high risk for furlough. Not saying it to be mean just stating facts. Day one of new hire initial a wisened old instructor had all 50 of us new hires go to the back wall and read a letter he had posted. It was a furlough letter from years before. He simply said "right now you all should be captains in 5 years given current size and retirement schedule, but read the letter and plan ahead."
My point is, I cannot get completely wrapped up in 2020 what if's. Right now 2020 looks really nice given retirement schedules and everything else. but then again in the summer of 2001 with a new parity plus 1% contract in the books things looked pretty nice also.
The only advise I can give is 2020 will not be whatever you envision it to be today, so "plan ahead"
I would like to have min day, PS, intl/dom split etc. Do I think we will do better in arbitration? Honestly, no. Is anything in 2020 for sure? Given world events...No. Paris the other day is probably just the beginning of much more and no clue how something like that here would affect our little piece of the airline world.
Vote what you feel, but don't ever assume tomorrows airline landscape will be anywhere close to todays landscape.