I agree with 90% of what has been said here. There’s no way anyone of us will get through this career without some kind of life changing decision that we have zero say in. And management does have a plan. And it is more often than not the correct decision. But one does have to question the strategy of concentrating all your pilot staffing in FL and ATL. And when you consider that the airline you’re about to merge w has about half their pilots now based in between ATL and MIA, what is the long game here? Yeah, people like to travel to FL, but they all come from somewhere else to get there. And you can’t simply end and begin every trip FL. That is clearly where the money is and they see that. And makes sense for the most part.

But I think this is where the attrition issue comes in. They know the money is in FL. But obviously they need to get people down there from somewhere else. And when you start to run short on staffing, decisions have to be made. But if you have to decide between staffing a base where the majority of flying is vs a big market where you have solid numbers but not on the same level you see in FL, then clearly you will move the flying to more profitable bases. It’s a business decision. Perhaps not a good one long term, but it looks like the best one at the moment.

So in short, I don’t think the company wants this displacement bid. But I think they see this as the the most prudent thing to do at the moment. We all know what the real solution is, and that is a new contract that will retain pilots. They know that too. But w the merger there will be a JCBA. And I hope this motivates them and gives us the leverage we need to get the contract that us and management both need.

Full disclosure … I’m an 8 year F9 guy based in ORD until May. I was about to update my apps until the merger was announced. Then I thought there was carrot out there, but as I get closer it’s starting to look more like a turd. It might be time to apply at United after all.