Originally Posted by
HeisenbergBlue
Eagle wanted to raise the bar too. We stood our ground until the ground was taken out from under us. If you don’t think Indigo wouldn’t pull the carpet out, then you don’t know your history.
Total different situation. Eagle was a solely owned regional feed of which AA had several to choose from. F9 is one of a few ULCCs in the US with good market share and business model. Greyhound/Megabus of the skies. The best way to make the most $ is to put as many busses into action as possible.
Right now, SW has about 10 flights a day between Denver and about 35 cities. F9 has 2 maybe 3 flights a day to about 10-15 of them. The market is so ripe for the picking now (and in the next 5 years). As the economy gets worse, that just helps F9...
Enough digression. The contract sucks.
The good: The pay is improved. The trip rig is improved. The retirement is improved to 12% increasing to 15% - all company contributions.
The neutral (neither better or worse): The LTD cap is higher but still no own occupation. $75 million ratification is good but falls short of true back pay. Retained 125% over 82 (had to give up something to keep it). 100% deadhead (something even regionals have had for years finally obtained).
The bad: scheduling. And it’s really bad. Losing line bidding for PBS of which the rules haven’t been decided. Positive phone contact being replaced with necessity to call CS back during footprint of trip. Unlimited reassignment during footprint.
The real issue is what we didn’t get (but others have or got recently) like non-cancellation of vacation. And despite the improvement in pay and retirement, it’s still below everyone else except Allegiant. When you figure NKs overrides in, we are bottom of the industry along with the LAST to negotiate.
So in the next 3-5 years, all other carriers go back to negotiating for more leaving us further behind. The major complaint I’ve heard of some is that we are so far behind it was difficult to catch up all in one contract. If we sign in this TA, we will be so far behind at the next negotiation that we’ll be in the same boat as now. And, so on. Always at the bottom - unless you say no and require more. Now is the best time to do that.