Originally Posted by
Airbum
Whalesurfer and others, I really enjoy the open civil disscussion, here is my take from the captain side, I hope I'm not taken as a senior guy pulling up the ladder.
For there truly to be a retirement B scale one would have to have done the same job but with a different payscale/retirement scale. That is not the case. I will concede the point that some will not have the ability to do the same job. Not everyone will make Captain but that does not a B scale make.
Also I would venture the idea that the flat rate retirement benefit is better for the FO (and FE back in the day) then the Captain. The FO can bypass for a unlimited time enjoying seniority and QOL, then on the very last day do the Captain gig and get the exact same retirement benefit as someone who slugged it out as a junior Captain. This higher paying retirement option would not be possible with the A plans top five years out of the last 10.
You don't have to agree but I wanted to state my thoughts.
Likewise, enjoy the discussion and am trying to look at this issue from both sides. You're correct, this isn't a B-scale per se. In a way it's a permanent-FO / permanent-retirement-penalty situation.
..the fo position is permanent because ..well, they'll turn 65 before their number comes up. The retirement "penalty" is permanent too, as in for the rest of his/her life the pension will be 20% less than if he/she was a captain
for a single day.
Debating how he/she ended up in that position is pointless; furloughed from several previous airlines, stuck at a regional for a long time, military commitment, etc., etc. Not really interested in "well, he/she should've done this or that" because that's not helping anyone at this point. Looking for solutions to a retirement problem
many of our pilots might end up with.
Yes, it's true that some FOs by-pass until the very end of their careers (very ballsy from my perspective). However, it's also true that many won't ever upgrade. Even if they take the very first available CA seat, they'll turn 65 before they'll have a shot.
So is there a way to ease the 20% retirement penalty on them while addressing those who are by-passing? (I'm biased as I quite possibly could end up in this group) In other words, could we make both camps happy, or happier?
Of course, if we were to put an end to the nonsensical and unsafe NURPtopian reality of our trucking company, we wouldn't even be having this discussion..
This NURPmare of ours must end. :-|