I respectfully disagree, but I understand that we are both merely speculating. I just can't believe that 1) our contract extension offer, 2) mechanics TA, 3) offer to stop outsourcing IAM jobs and open early, and 4) including LCAL FA's in profit sharing all occurring at the same time and shortly after a regime change is a coincidence. I've taken an informal poll of everyone I've discussed this TA with and you're the first person that has suggested that we would have had this deal if Jeff was CEO.

Typically one of the most frustrating things about Section 6 negotiations under the RLA is time. SWA and UPS would agree. There just isn't enough horsepower under that act to give pilots much traction. But this deal changes the equation. Every day that Section 6 negotiations go beyond the amendable date it does so at 15% higher wages plus 15% to the B/C fund. It makes the number required to get to an "acceptable" wage much less difficult to obtain. There is a value to time in this case. It's a 13% raise a year early, and it extends until we reach a new deal (plus another 2%). That has real value if we take 3-5 years to reach a deal. If we go to Section 6 next year at present wages, and it takes 3-5 years to settle, I can't possibly imagine that we will find enough value from a company that you admit is stingy with the purse strings to compensate for giving that up. It's roughly $360,000,000 a year for this pilot group. Take it out 3 years of negotiations and you have to add approximately $1 billion in improvements just to BREAK EVEN over this deal.