Originally Posted by
GogglesPisano
It's actually getting tiresome.
The seniority system will not go away because a few pilots feel they were somehow burned because of it. The vast majority of mainline pilots in the USA have benefited from it. There is no other simple way of allocating seats, schedules, vacation, etc. Or cementing unity and commitment. Yes, the CEO may have a bargaining chip with the senior half of the list, but the system also fosters a solidified collective bargaining unit.
I know of no ex-pat who wouldn't trade places with me in a heartbeat.
If a guy wants a free-for-all, "rugged individualist," job market where he can sell his superior skills to the highest bidder unshackled by the socialist fetters of seniority -- corporate aviation awaits.
I agree with your statements and it has worked for me as well. I am not so selfish to believe that my success isn't flawed. I also think seniority did work under the old system where a few large airlines hired pilots before age 30 and kept them for their entire career.
Again, you are missing my point. The reason I'm discussing this in the regional airline forum is because it affects regional pilots and the seniority system has been a very powerful tool that has enabled the regional airline model to exist and force this massive industry wide B scale. I find it interesting that the people that come in here to defend the system are not affected by it anymore because they are already established at a major carrier with a number.
I'm also not really concerned about foreign jobs or corporate aviation because those jobs are far fewer and are a niche opportunity anyway. After all, who wants to commute to China?
What concerns me isn't the few highest paid jobs in the industry, it's the gradual trend to make those jobs fewer while increasing the number of lower paid jobs. After all, a major airline is more concerned with average labor costs than they are with any individual salary. They can use regional pilots to fly their smaller planes at very low wages so their incentive is to push this model. The seniority system and the carrot are the incentive but it wouldn't work without a few very high paying jobs (the carrot) to dangle.