Originally Posted by the apprentice

Fundamentally we are for the most part on the same page for the exception on how the function of supply and demand works. Remove yourself from the equation and look at it from a supply and demand perspective. Now I know it hurts and the truth hurts but one way or another us as pilots we are a dispensable expense to the shareholders or in our case to the ownership group we are not revenue generators no matter how you slice it or you try to justify it, that is simply how finance and economics work. The organization has whats called a ROCI model also know as a return of capital investment model. Within this model they look at the point of diminishing returns. You pay to much to pilots you start getting to many pilots you pay to little to pilots you don't get enough pilots, It a balance game the decision makers play everything else is absorbed into that cost structure. From this point two things will happen when they start looking at pilots. If the point comes where the pilot becomes to expensive then from a financial perspective the ROCI model tells you that you should not be in business. Now you also have a minimum number of airplanes that you need to operate in order for this ROCI model to work. On the other hand if you do not have enough pilots to operate your established number of assets then the ROCI model will tell you that its not worth doing this business. If the shareholders or the ownership group does not get the returns they expect from this ROCI model they will very simply take there money where they know they can generate the returns that they expect. You went on to quote Branson in your post remember he is a great entrepreneur but he is also very good at identifying a failed venture and closing it down when his ROCI models don't work out. What does the management team do as a mitigating factor they artificially control the supply and demand. Trying to glorify oneself by saying we deserve a lot more because simply there is not enough pilot supply in todays market might be a true statement but it can also be a dangerous one. Remember you will never get what you deserve in business you only get what you negotiate for and today we are living through what we negotiated for.