Originally Posted by
flyprdu
I'm always disappointed by the legacy folks litany of excuses of why they don't have an industry standard contract. The crux of their argument is that "Alaska is different."
No, Alaska is not different, nor is it small. At 3,000 pilots, Alaska is bigger than America West was at the time when they acquired US Airways. Alaska is 50% the size of Northwest Airlines at its peak, which operated 7 different fleet types.
The consolidation of the majors has skewed perceptions and allowed the lie that Alaska Airlines is a small airline that can't afford good work rules to perpetuate.
The excuse making of why Alaska lags behind in contracts needs to end. Today.
I'm a somewhat objective observer. Correct that they (not me) should have dealt with this a long time ago.
Also true that it's harder than it would be at a ULCC, especially trying to play catch-up and acquire in one fell swoop what the other legacies built up over years.