Steve,

Actually, seniority-based scheduling is very rare outside the U.S. lines. Elsewhere, even Europe union shops, schedulers put pilots on schedules according to management imposed rules and seniority has little do with it. And, since most have little differences between fleets, seniority only puts on the fleet you want to fly--shirt or long haul is about seniority does for you.

I agree seniority is the only way to run large, mostly interchangeable groups, just recognize its shortcomings in our environment. One of those being lack of portable jobs.

Before you wish for strike options, read up on pilot strikes.

GF