First of all, all the legacies (including SWA) contracts are within spitting distance of each other as far as compensation from a pilots perspective. I can show you pilots at all the airlines in the right base/category that are killing it, and others that are successfully avoiding work. If SWAPA's contract remains full strength and becomes the model for future contracts, little will change with pilot compensation. Pensions are already gone, most contracts allow pilots to work to FAR max's already, so not much left to give up in the QOL area, just a smacking of pay rates/vacation/training pay etc.

As far as comparing Delta to Pan Am, couldn't disagree more with your assessment. Different time, different regulatory environment, different structure. Most analysts agree (read the book Hard Landings to understand pre-deregulation era airline business) that Pan Am died when it had no control over domestic feed and had to rely on others to get people from their non-hub locations to fill their global airline. Huge 747's flying all over the world had to be fed by a plethora of other airlines who obviously prioritized their own clientele first when filling seats.

The previous post was responding to the user "NOCONCESSIONS" (ostensibly from SWA) who said "SWA is going to beat the BIG 3 to a pulp." and I was offering reasons why that actually isn't fully in SWAPA's best interest (as a pilot laborer). Maybe for corporate ego, profits, and market share, but as far as pilot compensation, would be a drag for some time to come.

Best of luck to us all.