Yes. That is the mistake. You say they did it out of naivety and ignorance. I agree. I was not there and I cannot read the minds of every single voter. But if you are claiming there was no self-preservation involved on behalf of the pilots, I will disagree. It is not cheaper to outsource and pay for multiple company structures than it is to fly for a cheaper rate for a single company. Outsourcing was not required to save the airline. Outsourcing was required only to maintain higher rates for the more senior pilots, who were not laid off and replaced by dirt cheap regional contractors.