The big problem - at least for F9, NK, and B6, is that they don’t know what the acquisition holds for them. NK management knows that NK as an independent entity is going away. The B6 hostile takeover threat means their sweetheart deals with F9 might not - in fact probably won’t - happen. So they are busy buffing and polishing their own resumes and have zero interest in continuing to manage the airline and in particular not in negotiating a CBA that will quite likely be overtaken by a JCBA (although just who is an issue) anyway.

Until that decision gets made, I think NK is just going to flounder with high attrition. One way or another, F9 and B6 can at least adjust their CBAs to compensate for the higher regional pay scales. NK I’m not sure can.