Originally Posted by
ExperimentalAB
That is exactly it. I won't disagree with perspective, but that is not where our difference lies. Outsourcing, especially of that magnitude, is most definitely, by any definition a loss of jobs. It takes the organic growth that Alaska employees have earned with their customer service, sweat, and time away from family, and gives it instead to a contractor. Those are pilots that should be on the seniority list below you and not on another list entirely.
Your right, our difference lies in which conversation we are having. I'm talking about only current AS pilots and the impact to current 737 jobs and you are talking about the impact to AAG as a whole. You could argue that how the AS pilot contract could create an umbrella for other AAG employees to work under but I hardly think the majority of pilots approach the TA with that notion in mind.
JetBlue seems to have a workable business model for narrow body/RJ operations so to think that couldn't happen with AAG isn't far fetched. But to have the current profitability of QX operations in terms of feed vs cost to an AS operation featuring E175/737 operations is not realistic either. So something has to change and I don't see an option that protects all jobs within AAG. Cricket mentioned the potential impact of E175 in relation to the ANC 737 base and that certainly is a realistic impact to AS jobs but I don't think any pilot truly believes the 737 operations with Essential Air Service has been profitable so how long does that continue unchanged? More importantly, how does the AS pilot group respond to ideas of profitable bases/operations? I'm to guess that Cricket would have ANC themed ideas (along with the rest of the ANC base) that are different than LAX pilots, etc.
This is the discussion I've been trying to have, especially in advance of the next TA...wholly with the interests of the AS pilot group in mind and without emotion or belittling.