Originally Posted by
Bluedriver
Will a new contract here cause us to retire more pilots to match the seniority movement of the big three? Will a new CBA cause us to buy large fleets of A330s and 777s? Will a new CBA force us to open bases other than the East coast?
A new CBA will help, a LOT. IF it's good. But it still will not make us as attractive as the big 3 for the next 15 years until our retirements start (unless a lot more changes (more growth, widebody aircraft)).
But, there will always be some low qualified people and those that live in Boston or FLL.
Were you under the illusion we were going to buy/lease widebody aircraft, or that there was going to be significant turnover in seniority based on retirements due to the advanced age of our pilot fleet?
You're right. They could copy/paste Delta's contract and remove "Delta" and replace with "Jetblue" and the legacies would still be more attractive to many due to your above concerns.
Is what it is. Back in the early 2000s, JB was the only gig in town hiring. Now, everyone is. Depending on where you are on the JB seniority list and how old you are, will determine whether it makes sense to start over or not.