"allowing the company to underpay"? lol The only way to not allow them is to leave. When are you leaving?

Can they afford industry average and still maintain ULCC status? maybe, maybe not. If they did and Spirit is eventually a 150 a/c airline, what's stopping Eastern, or Braniff IV as a newly growing, 2 yr upgrade, upstart ULCC to take over?

So back to reality, maybe they can afford it, but they simply won't pay it. This is how it'll play out. This **** show will drag on for the next five years, while at the same time paying peanuts (subsidizing their profits as some put it). When the strike happens or is imminent. A 5 year TA will pass that mirrors allegiant/frontier/jetblue while losing transition and 4 days off. 10 years down the line when that contract is up, it'll be 5 more years of status quo...rinse repeat.

Next thing you know it's been 20 years and time to retire, then you realize you've been duped.

I'm not saying you shouldn't expect or fight for industry pay, but this is how it'll likely work out.

You see a lot of bright eyed new hires right now drinking the koolaid, thinking they're getting in at the beginning of the next big, great airline. Upgrade quick, get parity pay quick, and have a long and prosperous career, all backed up by HOPE.