"I'd think that if the company wants to have equipment locks to save money I bet they'd be willing to pay for it."

-I couldn't agree more

"Cant find any recent merger that had domicile fences or narrow body fences....UAL/ Continental, Delta/ NWA, AA/ LCC and SWA/ Airtran.....and a 5 yr equip. lock...Cant find one for domestic narrow body in those mergers........2 years is what we have now I think...."

-Well check back in two years... You will see them, that I am confident of

"Oh..........I thought I was on the "Alaska Air Hiring" thread."

You are right. I remember when I was waiting for a phone call, I couldn't careless about all this company banter...

Here is the good news on the hiring side
AS right now 6/22/16 is forecasting 162 new hires in 2017, 57 for the rest of 2016

on the VX side... AS is hoping to have control of the process by mid to early November. VX will have to hire about 105 pilots ahead of the implementation of the JCBA and about 60 additional to fill spots.

SO over the next 18 mo's that would have the company hiring around 380 pilots

Above are the best case #'s which hopefully turn out to be the case
The lowest total I have heard of is a 250ish # between the two companies